The Bakke decision was a significant case because it was the first time the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action was constitutional. The University of Michigan cases were significant because they reaffirmed the Bakke decision and allowed universities to continue using affirmative action.
In his lawsuit, Bakke argued that UC Davis’ policy of reserving 16 spots in each entering class for minority students violated his right to equal protection under the law by making him compete against members of racial minorities with lower academic qualifications than his own. He also claimed he had been denied due process because he did not know what other factors besides grades and test scores were considered in selecting applicants until after he applied.
In 1974, Allan Bakke sued the University of California at Davis for denying him admission to its medical school based on race. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the university on the grounds that racial quotas were unconstitutional, but it did allow schools to consider race as one factor among many in admissions decisions.
In 1978, Barbara Grutter sued the University of Michigan Law School for using race as a factor in its admissions policy. A plurality of justices ruled that using race as an admissions criterion was constitutional if schools could provide a legitimate educational rationale for doing so (such as diversifying their student body). Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote a separate concurring opinion stating that while she agreed with the majority’s ruling on principle, she would have preferred “further study” before deciding whether affirmative action programs are still constitutional today.
