Gratz v. Bollinger

Gratz v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 244 (2003), is a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court.

The University of Michigan’s undergraduate admissions policy automatically awarded 20 points (out of 150 needed for admission) to underrepresented minority applicants. Jennifer Gratz and Patrick Hamacher, white applicants who were rejected, challenged the policy as violating the Equal Protection Clause.

Significance

Chief Justice Rehnquist’s 6-3 opinion struck down the undergraduate policy. Unlike the law school’s holistic process upheld in Grutter (decided the same day), the undergraduate system automatically awarded points based on race, making race the decisive factor for minimally qualified minority applicants. The Court held that this mechanical, non-individualized use of race was not narrowly tailored to achieve diversity. The decision distinguished between holistic review (constitutional) and point-based systems (unconstitutional).

Category

US Federal Case Law