Supreme Court Roils US Colleges With One-Two Punch on Race, Debt

With two landmark decisions in just over 24 hours, the US Supreme Court could reshape higher education.

The rulings, one curtailing the consideration of applicants’ race in admissions, followed by a rejection of student-debt relief, have thrown into question how universities will diversify their ranks and dashed hopes for borrowers eligible for as much as $20,000 in federal loan forgiveness.

Affirmative action’s end may limit options for students from historically disadvantaged groups. Coupled with the ruling on loans, which would have provided the most relief to poorer borrowers, the decisions deal a blow to African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans ...