Friends,
On June 29, the Supreme Court of the United States released its decisions in Students for Fair Admission, Inc v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc v. University of North Carolina, et al. The cases examined the legality of race conscious admissions processes at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. I have taken time to read the opinion of the Court and dissenting opinions, and I encourage you to do the same.

In reflection, I want to reaffirm to you Guilford’s commitment to ensure that our college is a place where the diversity of our community is valued. Our welcoming community and strong commitment to providing access to a Guilford education consistently attracts a diverse applicant pool each year.  That diversity benefits all. Every fall, Guilford welcomes different faiths, cultures and beliefs to our campus. The quality of a Guilford education is enhanced when those voices are heard and perspectives are shared in our classrooms. That diversity and inclusiveness promotes greater understanding.

It has been 60 years since Guilford was racially desegregated in 1962. We were a different institution then than we are now. Today over 50% of our students are from historically underrepresented communities of color. We have been transitioning at a rapid pace and have become far more diverse than we were a few decades ago, providing an experience for students that is reflective of what they encounter in the world beyond Guilford.

This summer, we have been formulating strategies for enhancing Guilford as a place where all students can succeed. We have also been exploring ways that we can address racial and other historic inequalities in U.S. society and elsewhere.

For example, as part of our new strategic plan, Envisioning Guilford College 2027, we are developing a new Office of Transformation and Inclusion. This office will enable us to improve on opportunities for all of the members of our community to succeed at Guilford academically and in other phases of their lives and careers. In addition to doing a better job supporting a diverse student body, the office will help us develop strategies for diversifying our faculty and staff.

In addition, we will be announcing initiatives in the fall that will give Guilfordians the opportunity to address persistent racial and other inequalities in our own locality. Greensboro has a complicated history on matters of equity and inclusion. For example, the sit-ins by local college students at Woolworth’s during the Civil Rights Movement are a point of national significance. However, as we look at local disparities, we find that many have had a historic racial undertone. This can be traced back to purposeful decisions made to exclude large segments of Greensboro’s population from equitable access to housing, high quality education and employment opportunities. Through new partnerships, we will explore ways that Guilford can help Greensboro become a city engaged with tackling its long-term racial disparities.

In the coming months we will be reviewing our admissions practices to ensure we are complying with the law while continuing to celebrate our diversity, welcoming students of all races and backgrounds into our community and creating an environment with opportunities for all.

Warmly,

Kyle Farmbry
President