Dr. Sylvester James Gates
Image Credit: White House
Image Credit: White House
A Distinguished University Professor, University System of Maryland Regents Professor and John S. Toll Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland. Also an affiliate mathematics professor, Gates is known for his pioneering work in supersymmetry and supergravity, areas closely related to string theory. Gates earned two Bachelor of Science degrees in physics and mathematics and his Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1984, Gates co-authored Superspace, or One Thousand and One Lessons in Supersymmetry, the first comprehensive book on supersymmetry, and joined the faculty at Maryland as an associate professor. Four years later, he became the first African American to hold an endowed chair in physics at a major U.S. research university.
Dr. Gates contributed to an Amicus Brief respectfully submitted to the Supreme Court of the United States of America on October 15, 2015.
No. 14-981
_____________________________________________
In the
Supreme Court of the United States
ABIGAIL NOEL FISHER,
Petitioner,
vs.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, et al.,
Respondents.
____________________________
ON PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO
THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
_____________________________________________
BRIEF OF CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, EMORY UNIVERSITY, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, RICE UNIVERSITY, TULANE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER AND WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS AS AMICI CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENTS
____________________________________________
JEFFREY A. UDELL
Counsel of Record
ELLEN V. HOLLOMAN
JEREMY M. KING
KYLE C. BISCEGLIE
OLSHAN FROME WOLOSKY LLP
Park Avenue Tower
65 East 55th Street
New York, New York 10022
(212) 451-2300
judell@olshanlaw.com
Counsel for Amici Curiae
____________________________________________
Amici respectfully submit that, for all of the foregoing reasons, this Court should affirm the Fifth Circuit’s judgment that the University of Texas’ holistic admissions policy satisfies the Court’s strict scrutiny requirements.
Dated: New
York, NY
October 30, 2015
In the Amicus Brief's primary section
outlining support for diversity in private universities:
PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES LIKE AMICI HAVE A COMPELLING INTEREST IN ACHIEVING ADIVERSE STUDENT BODY BY EMPLOYING A HOLISTIC, INDIVIDUALIZED ADMISSIONS PROCESS, WHICH IMPROVES THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL STUDENTS
PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES LIKE AMICI HAVE A COMPELLING INTEREST IN ACHIEVING ADIVERSE STUDENT BODY BY EMPLOYING A HOLISTIC, INDIVIDUALIZED ADMISSIONS PROCESS, WHICH IMPROVES THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL STUDENTS
Dr. Gates is quoted in Section D, page
21, footnote 27 within the section entitled:
Private Universities Have A Compelling Interest In Diversity Throughout Their Academic Programs, Including Science And Technology Fields In Which Certain Minority Groups Are Particularly Underrepresented
The benefits of diversity extend to all
disciplines, including the hard sciences and engineering. As a
leading physicist noted, “[a]lthough there may be one answer to a
physics, chemistry or mathematics problem (based on the current state
of knowledge), there are often multiple paths for arriving at that
answer. In a broadly diverse classroom, all students thus benefit
from hearing the different questions posed in the educational arena.”
___________________________________
On June 23, 2016, the United States Supreme Court upheld the Affirmative Action program at the University of Texas handing supporters of Affirmative Action a major victory. The
decision, by a 4 to 3 vote, was unexpected.
It is remarkable that Dr. Gates body of lifetime achievements and research work represents the best of what science can achieve, also in social spheres that positively contributes to the administering of the education process within all of our institutions of higher education. We commend Dr. Gates for his lifetime commitment to science, engineering, and technology.
Prior to the landmark judicial decision, Dr. Gates had written an editorial for the magazine, Science, which was published on March 25, 2016.
