voicing their support for the university’s affirmative action policy to the Court. The corporations appear to be motivated by the desire to recruit talented women and minorities and to promote workplace diversity.
The end goal is to attract a student body that is “diverse in a rich variety of ways,” University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman asserts. “We do not have, and have never had, quotas or numerical targets in either the undergraduate or law school admissions programs. Academic qualifications are the overwhelming consideration for admission to both programs.”
In somewhat of a contradiction, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, who supports the president’s position, released a statement saying that “while race-neutral means are preferable, it is appropriate to use race as one factor among others in achieving a diverse student body.” Rice was asked by the president to weigh in on the issue.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, a staunch supporter of affirmative action, dissented from the president’s statement on CBS’ Face the Nation, saying, “Whereas I have expressed my support for the policies used by the University of Michigan, the president…came to the conclusion that it was constitutionally flawed based on the legal advice he received.”
By participating in the debate, Bush is taking a political risk at a time when his party is struggling to mend political fences. “The president’s statement will definitely have a big influence on the Court,” says Spriggs. If that’s the case, minority students could find themselves excluded from some of the nation’s top colleges and universities.
University of Michigan Office of Undergraduate Admissions Point Sources
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