Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978), was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. It upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy.
What is the significance of Regents of University of California v Bakke?
In Regents of University of California v. Bakke (1978), the Supreme Court ruled that a university's use of racial "quotas" in its admissions process was unconstitutional, but a school's use of "affirmative action" to accept more minority applicants was constitutional in some circumstances. Click to see full answer.
What was the Bakke v UC case?
Bakke 1 Case Argued: Oct. ... 2 Decision Issued: June 26, 1978 3 Petitioner: Regents of the University of California 4 Respondent: Allan Bakke, a 35-year-old white man who had applied twice for admission to the University of California Medical School at Davis and was rejected both times More items...
What was the Bakke decision in California?
(Show more) ... (Show more) ... (Show more) Bakke decision, formally Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, ruling in which, on June 28, 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court declared affirmative action constitutional but invalidated the use of racial quotas.
Why was Bakke rejected from UC Davis?
In the case, Bakke was a white male who applied to medical school at the University California at Davis. Although his admissions score was well above that of the average admittee and the school had open slots when he applied, his application was rejected because of the school’s racial quota system.
How old was Bakke when he applied to the University of California?
Bakke was in his early 30s while applying, and therefore considered too old by at least two institutions. After twice being rejected by the University of California, Davis, he brought suit in state court challenging the constitutionality of the school's affirmative action program.
Why was Bakke rejected from medical school?
Allan P. Bakke ( / ˈbɑːkiː / ), an engineer and former Marine officer, sought admission to medical school, but was rejected for admission due in part to his age.
How many Justices were in the Bakke case?
The case fractured the court; the nine justices issued a total of six opinions. The judgment of the court was written by Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr.; two different blocs of four justices joined various parts of Powell's opinion. Finding diversity in the classroom to be a compelling state interest, Powell opined that affirmative action in general was allowed under the Constitution and the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nevertheless, UC Davis's program went too far for a majority of justices, and it was struck down and Bakke admitted. The practical effect of Bakke was that most affirmative action programs continued without change. Questions about whether the Bakke case was merely a plurality opinion or binding precedent were answered in 2003 when the court upheld Powell's position in a majority opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger .
Why did Powell say Bakke was not admitted?
Powell opined that because the university had admitted that it could not prove that Bakke would not have been admitted even had there been no special admissions program, the portion of the California Supreme Court's decision ordering Bakke's admission was proper, and was upheld.
What court did Bakke go to?
The California Supreme Court struck down the program as violative of the rights of white applicants and ordered Bakke admitted. The U.S. Supreme Court accepted the case amid wide public attention. The case fractured the court; the nine justices issued a total of six opinions.
What is the significance of the Supreme Court decision in the case of Regents of the University of California v.?
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978), was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. It upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy.
When did the oral argument in Bakke take place?
Oral argument in Bakke took place on October 12, 1977. There was intense public interest in the case; prospective attendees began to line up the afternoon before. The court session took two hours, with Cox arguing for the university, Colvin for Bakke, and Solicitor General Wade H. McCree for the United States. Colvin was admonished by Justice Byron White for arguing the facts, rather than the Constitution. Cox provided one of the few moments of levity during the argument when Justice Harry A. Blackmun wondered whether the set-aside seats could be compared to athletic scholarships. Cox was willing to agree, but noted that he was a Harvard graduate, and as for sporting success, "I don't know whether it's our aim, but we don't do very well."
What was the Supreme Court decision in the University of California v. Bakke case?
265 (1978), was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. It upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy.
What did the court rule in favor of Allan Bakke?
The court ruled in favor of Allan Bakke saying that racial quotas violated equal protection under the law in the 14th amendment. The court ordered that Bakke be admitted to The University of California. It helped define the boundaries of the equal protection clause and said that racial quotas were unconstitutional.
Who was the plaintiff in the Bakke v. Davis case?
The Case: The case was tried before the Supreme Court in 1977 and a ruling was given in 1978. The plaintiff, Allan Bakke, had applied to the UC Davis Medical School twice (the first time in 1973 and the second in 1974) and was rejected both times.
What case did the Supreme Court rule that affirmative action was constitutional?
In Regents of University of California v. Bakke (1978), the Supreme Court ruled that a university's use of racial "quotas" in its admissions process was unconstitutional, but a school's use of "affirmative action" to accept more minority applicants was constitutional in some circumstances. Click to see full answer.
What is the significance of the Regents of Univ. of California v. Bakke?
Regents of Univ. of California v. Bakke was the landmark affirmative action case of its time, and subsequent decisions have clarified the Court’s position always with this case in mind. In finding for Bakke, the Court was able to minimize opposition to affirmative action programs. Moreover, the opinion allows for the use of race as a factor in admissions decisions, which is a net gain for the cause of affirmative action.
What did the California Supreme Court decide about Bakke?
The California Supreme Court held that the special admissions program violated the Equal Protection Clause . It also ordered Bakke’s admission to the school.
What did the California Supreme Court rule about affirmative action?
The California Supreme Court held that the program violated Equal Protection, and ordered that the applicant be admitted to the school.
Why was the special admissions program not necessary?
However, the special admissions program was not necessary to achieve that goal, because it foreclosed consideration to applicants like Bakke.
What did the court find about Bakke's special admissions program?
The state trial court found that (i) the special admissions program was a racial quota; (ii) the school could not account for race in admissions decisions; and (iii) the special admissions program violated the Federal and State Constitutions, and Title VI. The court, however, did not order Bakke’s admission.
Why does special admission not violate the Constitution?
Race should be considered when making admissions decisions, and the school’s special admission program does not violate the Constitution because it is meant to remedy the effects of a legacy of discrimination.
How old was Allan Bakke when he applied to medical school?
Respondent Allan Bakke, a 35-year-old white man, applied to the Medical School of the University of California at Davis two years in a row. He was rejected both times.
What did the Supreme Court decide about Bakke?
The Supreme Court, in a highly fractured ruling (six separate opinions were issued), agreed that the university’s use of strict racial quotas was unconstitutional and ordered that the medical school admit Bakke, but it also contended that race could be used as one criterion in the admissions decisions of institutions of higher education. ...
When was the Bakke decision?
Bakke decision, formally Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, ruling in which, on June 28, 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court declared affirmative action constitutional but invalidated the use of racial quotas.
What did Bakke claim?
Bakke filed suit, alleging that the dual admissions system violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and excluded him on the basis of race. The Supreme Court found for Bakke against the rigid use of racial quotas, but also established that race was a permissible criterion among several others.
Why did the University of California Davis have dual admissions?
In the early 1970s, the University of California Davis School of Medicine devised a dual admissions program to increase representation of racial minorities and “disadvantaged” students . Allan Bakke, a White person, applied to and was rejected from the regular admissions program. Applicants of color with lower grade point averages and test scores were admitted under the specialty admissions program. Bakke filed suit, alleging that the dual admissions system violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and excluded him on the basis of race. The Supreme Court found for Bakke against the rigid use of racial quotas, but also established that race was a permissible criterion among several others.
What is a case summary?
A thorough summary of case facts, issues, relevant constitutional provisions/statutes/precedents, arguments for each side, decision, and case impact.
What is case vocabulary?
Case Vocabulary: Important related vocabulary terms at two reading levels.
What is the case of Bakke?
The Respondent, Bakke (Respondent), a white applicant to the University of California, Davis Medical School, sued the University, alleging his denial of admission on racial grounds was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution (Constitution).
Who is the respondent in the Davis Medical School case?
Brief Fact Summary. The Respondent, Bakke (Respondent), a white applicant to the University of California, Davis Medical School, sued the University, alleging his denial of admission on racial grounds was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution (Constitution).
How many spots did Davis Medical School have?
Facts. The University of California, Davis Medical School reserved 16 spots out of the 100 in any given class for “disadvantaged minorities.” The Respondent, when compared to students admitted under the special admissions program, had more favorable objective indicia of performance, while his race was the only distinguishing characteristic. The Respondent sued, alleging that the special admissions program denied him equal protection of laws under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.
Is the special admissions program impermissible?
J. Stevens concurs to the extent that the special admissions program is impermissible. However, J. Stevens holds that the constitutional issue is not reached, because the federal statutory ground (Title VI) prohibits the activity directly. Discussion. J.
Is the racial classification in the present case remedial?
In particular, the Justices argue that the racial classification in the present case is remedial, serves an important government objective and also substantially related to that objective and thus insulated from the Fourteenth Amendment’s general prohibition of such classifications.
Is race a determining factor in admission to public schools?
Synopsis of Rule of Law. Although race may be a factor in determining admission to public educational institutions, it may not be a sole determining factor.
Did the Bakke case hold the special admissions program unconstitutional?
It is important to note that in Bakke, the Court did not technically hold the special admissions program unconstitutional. J. Stevens and the three other Justices joining his opinion do not reach the constitutional issue because of the federal statute. Create New Group. Group Name.
Case History
Dual Admission Programs
- In 1970, the University of California Davis School of Medicine(UCD) was receiving 3,700 applicants for a mere 100 openings. At the same time, UCD administrators were committed to working with an affirmative action plan often referred to as a quota or set-aside program. It was set up with two admissions programs in order to increase the number of disadvantaged students admitted to the school. There was the regular admissions program and the s…
Regular Admissions Program
- Candidates who quailed for the regular admissions program had to have an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) above 2.5. Some of the qualifying candidates were then interviewed. Those who passed were given a score based on their performance on the Medical College Admissions Test(MCAT), science grades, extracurricular activities, recommendations, awards and other criteria that made up their benchmark scores. An admissions co…
Special Admissions Program
- Candidates accepted into the special admissions programs were minorities or those who were economically or educationally disadvantaged. The special admissions candidates did not have to have a grade point average above 2.5 and they did not compete with the benchmark scores of the regular admission applicants. From the time that the dual admissions program was implemented the 16 reserved spots were filled by minorities, despit…
Allan Bakke
- In 1972, Allan Bakke was a 32-year-old white male working as an engineer at NASA, when he decided to pursue his interest in medicine. Ten years earlier, Bakke had graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in mechanical engineeringand a grade-point average of 3.51 out of 4.0 and was asked to join the national mechanical engineering honor society. He then joined the U.S. Marine Corps for four years which included a sev…
Overview
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978), was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. It upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be one of several factors in college admission policy. However, the court ruled that specific racial quotas, such as the 16 out of 100 seats set aside for minority students by the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, were impermissible.
Although the Supreme Court had outlawed segregation in schools, and had even ordered school districts to take …
Background
In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court of the United States ruled segregation by race in public schools to be unconstitutional. In the following fifteen years, the court issued landmark rulings in cases involving race and civil liberties, but left supervision of the desegregation of Southern schools mostly to lower courts. Among other progressive legislation, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI of which forbids racial discrimination in any program or activity receiving federal funding. By 1968, integration of public schools was we…
U.S. Supreme Court consideration
The university requested that the U.S. Supreme Court stay the order requiring Bakke's admission pending its filing a petition asking for review. U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist, as circuit justice for the Ninth Circuit (which includes California) granted the stay for the court in November 1976.
The university filed a petition for writ of certiorari in December 1976. The papers of some of the …
Reaction
Newspapers stressed different aspects of Bakke, often reflecting their political ideology. The conservative Chicago Sun-Times bannered Bakke's admission in its headline, while noting that the court had permitted affirmative action under some circumstances. The Washington Post, a liberal newspaper, began its headline in larger-than-normal type, "Affirmative Action Upheld" before going on to note that the court had admitted Bakke and curbed quotas. The Wall Street Journal, in a headline, deemed Bakke "The Decision Everybody Won". According to Oxford Univer…
Aftermath
Allan Bakke, "America's best known freshman", enrolled at the UC Davis medical school on September 25, 1978. Seemingly oblivious to the questions of the press and the shouts of protesters, he stated only "I am happy to be here" before entering to register. When the university declined to pay his legal fees, Bakke went to court, and on January 15, 1980, was awarded $183,089. Graduating from the UC Davis medical school in 1982 at age 42, he went on to a career as an anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic and at the Olmsted Medical Group in Rochester, Min…
See also
• Civil Rights Movement
• Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College
External links
• Text of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978) is available from: CourtListener Findlaw Google Scholar Justia Library of Congress Oyez (oral argument audio)
• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke from C-SPAN's Landmark Cases: Historic Supreme Court Decisions