Before the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, the Supreme Court had recognized repeatedly that diversity in higher education is a compelling state interest that can justify consideration of race in admissions, as long as the use of race is narrowly tailored to that interest. That historical precedent set the framework for many years for how courts analyzed race-conscious decision-making in education, and influenced how companies thought about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts as well.