Black student population at Rice in decline 1 year after Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The class of 2028 is the first at Rice University and other top-tier universities across the country impacted by the United States Supreme Court's ruling that bars race from being used as a factor in admissions.

The results of their decision to overturn affirmative action in admissions are best described as mixed, according to an analysis by the New York Times.

The racial demographics at some of the most elite schools weren't meaningfully impacted.

Diversity even increased on a few campuses, but at Rice, the number of Black freshmen took the biggest hit, according to our news partners at the Houston Chronicle. Their population dropped from 8% before the ruling to 6% now, according to their analysis. That's a drop in about 20 people in a class of about 1,100.

RELATED: What does the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action mean for Texas and its students?

The Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action did not come as a surprise to many. But only a few Texas institutions are impacted by it.

Reporter Samantha Ketterer said some students have noticed the difference on campus.

"Some of the students say that at orientation, I'm speaking about sophomores and juniors who are helping lead orientation, they noticed this population seemed more sparse. They said that's essentially concerning to them, because they worry future Black students at Rice may not feel as at home there," Ketterer said.

There are other factors impacting diversity, including the botched rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Rice released a statement to the Chronicle about their freshman class, emphasizing the fairness of their admissions process.

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