Release date: May 16, 2002
Contact: Elaine Justice, Associate Director, Media Relations,
at 404-727-0643 or ejustic@emory.edu

Affirmative Action President Applauds U of M Decision

May 14, 2002 was one of the brightest days affirmative action has had in several years. On this day, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the 6th District decided that "The University of Michigan law school’s policy of considering race in deciding which students to accept is legal." The court followed the precedent of using race as one of the factors in the decision making process that was established in the 1978 Bakke case.

The decision also affirms the practice of most colleges and universities of using a variety of factors, ranging from alumni status to region of the country, in constituting every entering class. It stands to reason, therefore, that ethic and racial diversity should also be among the elements that are considered. Hopefully, the same considerations that were used in deciding this case will be evident in the decision on the undergraduate case that is yet to be released.

Those of us who are working in the trenches to ensure the viability of affirmative action and diversity, although pleased with the decision of the 6th Circuit court, are not deluding ourselves into thinking we have won the war. Our success in winning this battle fortifies us to continue to coalesce the strength of our supporters for the inevitable battle at the U.S. Supreme Court level.

Dr. Robert W. Ethridge
Vice President for Equal Opportunity Programs at Emory University
President, American Association for Affirmative Action

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