On Thursday, Intel filed an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals in support of Harvard College in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. Intel was joined by 13 other companies, including, but not limited to, Apple, Verizon, Microsoft, GE and Cisco.Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. (“SFFA”) filed a lawsuit in federal district court alleging that Harvard College discriminates against Asian-American applicants in their undergraduate admissions process in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (a federal civil rights law). SFFA claimed, in part, that Harvard College unlawfully considered race during the admissions process to the detriment of Asian-American applicants. The district court ruled Harvard’s undergraduate admission program did not discriminate against Asian-American applicants and that its admission program was narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling interest in student body diversity. The SFFA appealed the decision, and the case is currently before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Intel believes diversity and inclusion are critical to our evolution and key to our long-term success. To shape the future of technology, we must be representative of that future. Inclusive teams of people with diverse perspectives are more creative and innovative. Intel wanted to take this opportunity to share with the Court how important it is to have diversity in higher education and the workforce. Read the full brief here.