Shall We Overcome: What is the Alternative to Affirmative Action

Devon WesthillEducation

This column appeared originally at philanthropyroundtable.org Nearly every selective college in the country discriminates on the basis of race in admitting students because the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed it for decades. This month, the Court is expected to revoke that permission slip when it issues opinions in two cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions that challenge affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. The good news is there are many other, better ways to support the disadvantaged than using race-based preferences.   If the Court’s decision prohibits race-explicit affirmative action, some expect organizations to evade the …

Affirmative Action in COVID Treatments

Center for Equal OpportunityRacial Preferences

CEO is the lead organization in a brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up an appeal to a Second Circuit decision in a controversial New York Covid treatment program that excluded non-minority patients from receiving antiviral treatments. Facing a severe shortage of Covid treatments in the early days of the pandemic, the state of New York and New York City issued directives instructing medical providers to prioritize treatments to individuals on the basis of race. CEO’s brief argues that the race-based distribution of antiviral treatments is plainly unconstitutional. CEO filed the brief in support of petitioners represented by …

Anti-Asian Discrimination in College Admissions

Center for Equal OpportunityEducation

On Tuesday, March 28, at 2:00 pm ET, CEO President Devon Westhill will take part in the National Association of Scholars webinar “Anti-Asian Discrimination in College Admissions.”  From the NAS press release: “Every ‘plus’ on one student’s college application translates to a ‘minus’ on another student’s application. In the process of boosting the applications of so-called ‘underrepresented minorities,’ admissions offices routinely penalize Asian-American applicants, dismissing their diligence and hard work as a ‘lack of personality.’ How did the widespread discrimination against Asian-American students arise in American higher education? Why has the plight of these minority students been so disregarded by …

Devon Westhill testifies before U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Center for Equal OpportunityRacial Preferences

Center for Equal Opportunity President Devon Westhill will testify before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights this Friday, March 24th on the federal government’s response to anti-Asian racism in the United States. The Commission is examining the federal government’s role in documenting, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes against Asian-Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the USCCR’s press release: “The investigation will also include background and historical perspectives of Asian immigration in the U.S.; anti-Asian immigration laws and changes to immigration laws for persons of Asian descent; and misperceptions and stereotypes of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans.” Mr. Westhill will join …

Why I Support True Diversity

Devon WesthillRacial Preferences

This post originally appeared on Philanthropy Roundtable Devon Westhill was raised in the South along with his two Black siblings by his hardworking, single white mother. Despite growing up in tough times, Westhill is now the president and general counsel for the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO), an organization whose mission is to study, develop and disseminate ideas that promote color blind opportunity and support the American belief that everyone has the chance to find happiness through hard work and dedication. He credits his upbringing and life experiences for giving him the passion to speak out against efforts, even well-intentioned …

Fairness in Financial Services:
Racism and Discrimination in Banking

Devon WesthillRacial Preferences

Related posts: Canceled at the EEOC (again) TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT Comment on Dodd-Frank Proposed Interagency Policy Statement Litigation Update: Faust v. Vilsack – Race Discrimination in the American Rescue Plan

Devon Westhill Testifies Before Senate

Center for Equal OpportunityRacial Preferences

On Thursday, December 1, CEO president and general counsel Devon Westhill will testify before the U.S. Senate committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The hearing is titled: Fairness in Financial Services: Racism and Discrimination in Banking Mr. Westhill’s testimony will focus on the problems associated with using disparate impact analysis to uncover discrimination. Tune in at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time. The hearing will be broadcast live here. Related posts: TESTIMONY OF ROGER CLEGG, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT Devon Westhill testifies before Congress The …

Courthouse Steps Oral Argument: SFFA vs. UNC & Harvard

Center for Equal OpportunityEducation

On October 31, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. In perhaps the most anticipated case of this term, the court considers a challenge to the use of racially preferential undergraduate student admissions practices at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Experts broke down the oral argument on the same day, October 31, 2022. Featuring: Prof. Amanda Shanor, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics, The Wharton School Devon Westhill, President and General Counsel, Center for Equal Opportunity Moderator: Curt Levey, President, Committee for Justice …

PRESS RELEASE: Supreme Court Hears Argument in Harvard and UNC Cases

Center for Equal OpportunityEducation, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Devon Westhill(904) 683-6060 (Washington, D.C) This morning, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear from the lawyers arguing on both sides of the race preferences cases SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC. The Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) and our staff helped write and then joined six amicus briefs in these cases urging the Supreme Court to take the cases and to overturn Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) which permitted the use of race in college admissions for the supposedly compelling benefits of campus racial diversity. Our briefs argued that race preferences are unconstitutional and …