Good research does not mean good policy, but policy or legal conclusions that rely on false assumptions are certain to be bad. When the rights of U.S. students of color are at stake, the Supreme Courts need the best research findings the country can offer. The U.S. Constitution contains sweeping and undefined terms. Reaching a conclusion about the…

Numerous legal scholars and social scientists have highlighted the ways in which research has informed judicial decision making. Because, in part, of convincing empirical research presented in several landmark cases (e.g., "Grutter v. Bollinger," 2003; "Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1,"…

Despite the precedent established in the "University of California Board of Regents v. Bakke," that race may be used as a factor in admissions policies at state institutions of higher education, state and federal court decisions were divided over whether the use of race in admissions decisions was a violation of the Equal Protection…

The United States Supreme Court has had a significant role in the exploration and definition of affirmative action in this country. No more so than in the recent decisions related to the University of Michigan admissions cases. This article will explore the historical role of the U.S. Supreme Court and the decisions that this entity has made in…

This article provides a brief history of affirmative action in the United States. The author describes the impact of the "Brown v. Board of Education" on minority life science education. She also discusses how The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Minorities Affairs Committee (MAC) can improve the minority science pipeline.…