Dear AACP Members,
In light of the SCOTUS decision in two cases (Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina), released on June 29, 2023, prohibiting the use of race in college admissions, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy reaffirms our support for universities’ admissions processes that are dedicated to diversity in health professions education and that allow universities the freedom to provide necessary academic content for their mission.
Our commitment to this work is reflected in these previously released position statements:
- Joint Federation of the Associations of the Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) Letter Supporting Academic Freedom
- AACP’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism
- AACP Statement Related to Racism, Education and the Sept. 22, 2020, Executive Order
In addition, our AACP Strategic Plan Priority #3: Leading Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-racism (DEIA) Efforts, and AACP’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Initiatives highlight our efforts to overcome systemic racism.
AACP is wholly committed to all efforts fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion, not only in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences education, but in all health professional education. We are deeply disappointed by the SCOTUS decisions to ignore the importance of these considerations for applicants: however, we remain dedicated to helping our members find ways to continue educating culturally competent health professionals within the boundaries defined by law.
As we move forward, AACP will begin holding virtual discussion sessions featuring experts from within and outside of academia to help our schools navigate this difficult and challenging transition. We will continue to support our members in the best way we can. Furthermore, we will continue to report on this discussion as it evolves over time.
Sincerely,
Lee Vermeulen, B.S.Pharm., M.S., FCCP, FFIP
AACP Executive Vice President and CEO