U-M will be in compliance of prop 2

Detroit News Online Printer-friendly article page U-M resumes admissions in compliance with Proposal 2 Detroit News Staff The University of Michigan announced this morning that it will no longer consider race and gender when it resumes admitting students today. The announcement ends a weeklong self-imposed admissions moratorium during which university officials worked to bring their admissions process in line with Proposal 2. "As stated in the language of Proposal 2, our admissions and financial aid processes will not discriminate against, nor grant preferential treatment to, any individual on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin," said U-M Provost Theresa A. Sullivan in written statement released this morning. "Of course, we will recognize exceptions provided in the amendment including one for federally-funded programs." The decision is a change in tone from two months ago, when U-M President Mary Sue Coleman, in a rousing speech at the U-M Diag, questioned the legality of Proposal 2, the amendment banning the use of race and gender preferences in admissions and government hiring and contracting. Now, the university has concluded "the likelihood of securing long-term relief from the federal courts is slim and short-term relief is no longer viable," according to a memo from U-M general counsel sent to U-M university officials. The university still plans to use affirmative action in hiring, because it is a federal contractor, officials have said. According to the memo, U-M will continue to defend itself when sued and believes courts will still have to interpret certain aspects of Proposal 2. Julie Peterson, spokeswoman for U-M, yesterday would not confirm the contents of the memo, but said the university has to weigh the likelihood of a quick legal resolution against the effect the delay would have on the university's ability to enroll students. "The overriding concern at this point is moving forward with enrollment this year in a way that allows us to admit the best possible class," according to the memo from Marvin Krislov, U-M vice president and general counsel, and two U-M attorneys. The passage of the amendment by 58 percent of Michigan voters sparked a heated court battle over the legality and implementation of Proposal 2, particularly in college admissions. On Dec. 19, a federal judge in Detroit granted a request from U-M, Wayne State and Michigan State University to move the effective date of Prop 2 from Dec. 23 to July 1, so they wouldn't have to change admissions and financial aid decisions for incoming students. To do so would be unfair, they argued, because they didn't have time to determine how to yield a "comparably diverse class." However, a three-judge appeals panel on Dec. 29 struck down the delay and effectively forced the universities to immediately comply. The surprise decision prompted U-M to halt admissions "Our overriding concern is enrolling a strong incoming class. ... Additional delays may cause us to lose applicants, or make it harder for us to enroll the outstanding students we have admitted." On Tuesday, By Any Means Necessary, a pro-affirmative action group, filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The group wants the court to reinstate the six-month delay so universities have time to revise admissions systems "so that black and other minority students will not have their lives altered fundamentally," the appeal says. "We are facing the possibility of re-segregation," said Shanta Driver, national spokeswoman of BAMN. U-M has already admitted about half of its freshman class for fall. The new rules will apply to the remaining fall applicants. Stephen Houdek, father of a 17-year-old applicant to U-M, was heartened by U-M's decision to comply. However, his daughter, Andrea, is no longer interested in the school after she was put on a waiting list when nonwhite friends with lower test scores and grades were admitted, he said. "She's a very principled young lady and she felt she was discriminated against by U-M," said Houdek, noting that she registered at MSU I'm going to say a few things about this story one Jennifer Gratz is one of these brats from the burbs who never experince someone telling them no and she couldn't handle it so she decided in her little mind that's she's going to mess it up for everyone. Now to the racists and losers that voted yes on 2 I got some news for you when you was gitty of the idea of screwing Detroit students take a good look at your daughters matter of fact every young female in your life because you just screwed her future. Because it's not people of color that take seats away from your boys it's the George W. Bush of the world, rich kids with low test scores, low GPAs and their only interest being at the school is to drink until they black out.