US Naval Academy ends affirmative action in admissions

A recent ruling by a U.S. Court of Appeals has determined that the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) will no longer be allowed to consider race, ethnicity, or sex in its admissions process. This decision comes as a result of orders from President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order stating that all elements of the Armed Forces should operate without any preference based on race or sex.

Vice Adm. Yvette Davids announced the policy change on Feb. 14, making it clear that neither race, ethnicity, nor sex can be taken into account at any point during the admissions process, including qualification and acceptance. This change was confirmed in a court filing by the Department of Justice in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The decision to prohibit the consideration of race in admissions to the Naval Academy follows a previous ruling in federal court in December, which allowed the academy to continue using race as a factor in its admissions process. However, the recent ruling has overturned this decision, aligning the academy with President Trump’s executive order.

The appeal against the use of affirmative action policies in the Naval Academy admissions process was brought by the group Students for Fair Admissions. The Department of Justice has requested a suspension of the case in order to review the changes in the academy’s policy.

Edward Blum, president of Students for Fair Admissions, has criticized the use of affirmative action policies, calling them “unfair and illegal.” He stated that racial discrimination has no place in our nation’s military academies.

On the other hand, Maryland Rep. Sarah Elfreth, a Democrat serving on USNA’s Board of Visitors, expressed concern over the decision, calling it “disastrous” and warning of negative implications on military recruitment and retention. She emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion in ensuring mission readiness and national security.

In response to President Trump’s executive orders, the Naval Academy has taken steps to close all agency diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) offices. This move has sparked concerns that certain programs may have been modified to obscure their DEIA objectives. The academy has instructed staff members to report any changes that may have been made to hide the connection between a contract and DEIA ideologies.

Despite the closure of the DEI and DEIA offices, the Navy spokesperson confirmed that the U.S. Naval Academy did not have such offices prior to the executive order mandating their closure. The academy is fully compliant with the directives issued by the president and is committed to executing them in alignment with national security objectives.

As the Naval Academy adjusts its admissions process to comply with the recent ruling, the debate over affirmative action and diversity in military academies continues to be a topic of discussion. The impact of these changes on the academy’s recruitment efforts and overall mission readiness remains to be seen.