Charles Barkley has revealed plans to leave money in his will to Auburn University. The former pro basketball player and sports analyst says it's his way of ensuring the Alabama university remains diverse. Auburn University is a Primarily White Institution (PWI), with enrollment of Black students falling just below 5% in 2022. Reports come after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for Affirmative Action to be cut from college admission programs last week.
"In my will, I am leaving Auburn $5 million," Barkley says, "I’m going to change it to be just for scholarships for Black students. That’s just my way of trying to make sure Auburn stays diverse." Barkley attended Auburn University from 1981-1984, where he also played college basketball. He played for three seasons before being drafted by the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers as a junior.
Barkley Wants To Ensure Diversity At Auburn
"I love Auburn," he says, "I’ve actually changed it to be used for kids from poor homes." Barkley then refers to the ruling, revealing that ensuring the inclusion of Black students seems like "the right thing" for him to do. "After that ruling yesterday, my phone was blowing up," he explained. "I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn. So, I’m gonna change my will and make it exclusive for Black students—all $5 million." Barkley continued, "It’s just for me the right thing to do. I always want to make sure that Auburn’s diverse.”
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling is likely to have a major impact on the millions of students applying to colleges this fall. "The Court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions. And I strongly — strongly disagree with the Court’s decision," President Joe Biden said following the ruling. "I believe our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. Our nation is stronger ... because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation."