CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will continue to be race conscious in its student admissions process.

What You Need To Know

Students for Fair Admissions filed a lawsuit against UNC in 2014, saying the admissions process disadvantaged white and Asian students

Judge Loretta Biggs ruled UNC's race-conscious admissions process is lawful

SFFA plans to appeal the decision

Judge Loretta C. Biggs ruled Monday on a lawsuit that was filed against UNC by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) in 2014.

Edward Blum, the president of SFFA, stated in his complaint that UNC's admissions process discriminates against students who are white and Asian. The complaint listed a white plaintiff who applied to UNC in 2014. Blum said how the student had a 4.4 GPA in public school, high test scores and was involved in extracurricular activities. He said the reason the student was not admitted to UNC was that it was considering race during admissions.

In the ruling, Biggs says UNC's admissions process is lawful.

"While no student can or should be admitted to this university, or any other, based solely on race, because race is so interwoven in every aspect of the lived experience of minority students, to ignore it, reduce its importance and measure it only by statistical models as SFFA has done, misses important context to include obscuring racial barriers and obstacles that have been faced, overcome and are yet to be overcome," Biggs said.

Beth Keith, with UNC's Office of University Communications, talked about the university's process in a statement.

"This decision makes clear the university’s holistic admissions approach is lawful. We evaluate each student in a deliberate and thoughtful way, appreciating individual strengths, talents and contributions to a vibrant campus community where students from all backgrounds can excel and thrive," Keith said.

Blum did not agree with the outcome.

“Students for Fair Admissions is disappointed that the court has upheld UNC’s discriminatory admissions policies," Blum said. "We believe that the documents, emails, data analysis and depositions SFFA presented at trial compellingly revealed UNC’s systematic discrimination against nonminority applicants.”

Blum said he will be appealing to the Fourth Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.