The Supreme Court heard arguments over the practice of race-based admissions in the United States on Monday, with military and national security experts waiting for a decision that could alter the demographics of who wears the uniform.
The nation's top court listened to oral arguments for two cases that are challenging the admissions practices at both Harvard and the University of North Carolina — schools that consider an applicant's race, among a variety of other factors, as part of their admissions process.
Elizabeth Prelogar, the United States Solicitor General, described race-conscious admissions as “vitally important to our nation's military,” pointing to the need to have a diverse group of students in ROTC programs and the nation's service academies in order to develop diverse military leadership.
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“The individuals who are entering college today … are the closed universe of individuals who are going to be eligible for leadership in the military in 20 and 30 years' time,” she argued.
Prelogar was arguing on behalf of the two schools, saying that “when students of all races and backgrounds come to college and live together and learn together, they become better colleagues, better citizens and better leaders.”
Opponents of race-conscious admissions have argued in court briefings that the racial composition of military leadership should…
