Charles Davis speaks with Inside Higher Ed about the potential impact of directives issued by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights

A letter sent by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights on February 14 offered a “sweeping interpretation” of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision against race-conscious admissions, reports Inside Higher Education. The media outlet spoke with numerous scholars of higher education to ascertain what the demands listed in the letter will mean for college and university campuses across the country.

Assistant Professor of Education Charles H. F. Davis III expects a “slide effect” in admissions. He predicts that Students of Color who previously would have attended more selective universities, supported by targeted resources, will enroll at more accessible institutions where they face fewer hurdles.

“Sense of belonging and sense of community are deeply important to their ability to matriculate successfully and then to persist from semester to semester, year to year and also towards graduation,” Davis tells Inside Higher Education.