Suit leaves students undecided

As news of the class-action lawsuit challenging University admissions policies spread across campus, students expressed contrasting emotions, ranging from sighs of relief to chants of anger.

Nearly 20 members of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary displayed their stance against the lawsuit by gathering on the steps of the Michigan Union yesterday to protest.

Black Student Union member Naftara Clark, a BAMN member, said that although she doesn't think the lawsuit can be backed by substantial evidence, University students need to unite in defense of affirmative action.

"I think if we don't come right now with a militant movement that's prepared to fight for the rights of all students on this campus, we will see the implementations that have been seen in California," said Clark, an RC sophomore.

LSA sophomore Andrew Vrabel said he welcomes the lawsuit filed against the University, but does not anticipate any "real" results for a few years.

JOHN KRAFT/Daily Prospective University students (from left) Alicia Giminez, Kevin Davis, Amil Singh and Geena Kunnummgalil toured campus yesterday in preparation for their decision about whether to attend the University.

"Affirmative action is going down, and I'm loving every minute of it," Vrabel said.

As many University students voiced a variety of opinions about the University's affirmative action policies and the Center for Individual Rights' lawsuit, prospective students also offered differing reactions.

Amit Singh, a high school senior from West Bloomfield who is considering attending the University, said the University should account for students' GPAs and standardized test scores, as well as students' race and ethnicity.

"You have to accept and respect the top 10 percent of any high school, but you also have to respect diversity," said Singh, an Indian American student, adding that the University's diverse climate is one of the factors that attracted him to the University. "I'm looking forward to coming here and being with my own people."

Orchid Lake high school senior John Lamb, who participated in one of the University's campus tours yesterday, said some college applicants try to portray themselves as minority students in hopes of benefitting from affirmative action practices.

"I know some people who fill out different stuff," Lamb said. "I think maybe sex should be considered."

Kris Lamb, who accompanied her son John on the University's campus tour, said a student's GPA should be the only deciding factor in admissions standards. "I think they should look at grades, (not race and ethnicity)," she said.

Clark said the removal of the University's affirmative action practices would perpetuate any discrimination that already exists.

"To take away affirmative action, it's like saying racism doesn't exist anymore, sexism doesn't exist anymore, prejudice doesn't exist anymore, when we all know that it does exist," Clark said.

In contrast to Clark's statements, Vrabel said he considers the University to be well diversified. Furthermore, the University's diversity will not be jeopardized if the University's admissions policies are deemed unconstitutional, he said.

"Individual variance is certainly much more important than racial variance," Vrabel said, adding that a student's skin color should not be an indicator for the kind of characteristics that diversify a student population.

Michigan Student Assembly Vice President Olga Savic said MSA should "take the lead to work with a coalition of groups to discuss how to protect our community."

"I think there are a lot of groups that would support affirmative action," Savic said. "(Then) I think there are students that don't."

Because no tell-tale numbers are available regarding the prevailing stance of University students, Savic said she is not certain what course of action MSA will take.

"This is a contestable issue for the assembly," Savic said. "There are some people who feel very strongly about it on both sides. I think that on the whole, we want to protect affirmative action."

MSA is coordinating a symposium for students to discuss affirmative action and gather varying perspectives, Savic said. Assembly officials have tentatively scheduled the symposium for Nov. 17-20.

- Daily Staff Reporter Chris Metinko contributed to this report.

JOHN KRAFT/Daily
BAMN members and LSA sophomores Dominique Jaques, Debracha Fair and Sylvia Robinson hold a banner yesterday outside of the Michigan Union at a rally defending affirmative action in response to the lawsuit filed against the University.

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