Here are a list of precedents for the case.
 
Grutter v. Bollinger (2003): The Court ruled that a government interest in student body diversity is compelling when "all factors that may contribute to student body diversity" are used.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954): The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 to reverse the lower court decision (and the Plessy decision). "We conclude that in the field of public education the idea of "separate but equal" has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a bad effect on the colored children. The sense of inferiority created by this law-imposed segregation affects the motivation of a child to learn. Educational opportunity, where the state has taken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms. The law allowing for the segregation of public schools denies students the equal opportunity of an education.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA REGENTS v. BAKKE (1978): "Racial and ethnic classifications of any sort are inherently suspect and call for the most exacting judicial scrutiny. Racial classifications call for strict judicial scrutiny. Nonetheless, the purpose of overcoming substantial, chronic minority underrepresentation in the medical profession is sufficiently important to justify (the) remedial use of race."

Swann v. Board of Education (1971): The Surpeme Court held that under certain circumstances the remedial use of racial criteria is not only permissible but is constitutionally required to eradicate constitutional violations.