Professors discuss diversity's importance

On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the second anti-affirmative action lawsuit filing, the Ann Arbor chapter of the American Association of University Professors met yesterday to discuss the issue of affirmative action.

"The national organization (AAUP) supports affirmative action," said pharmacology Prof. Charles Smith.

AAUP chapter members discussed the importance of diversity at the meeting.

"Diversity is the key to academic excellence," said Elizabeth Barry, associate vice president and deputy general counsel.

When accepting applicants, colleges must look at other factors in addition to numerical grades, said Jonathan Alger, AAUP associate counsel.

It is important to look at "the contributions the people will make on campus and not individual achievement," he said.

Those at the meeting said stressing diversity on campus also benefits society in the long run.

"Diversity is also key to (teaching) students to function in an increasing pluralistic society," Barry said.

In 1978, the Supreme Court ruled in Bakke vs. Regents of the University of California that a university can take a person's race into account for college admissions to achieve student diversity.

"Bakke is the only Supreme Court decision ... that is specific to higher education," Alger said. Since then, this ruling has been challenged several times throughout the country.

On Oct. 14, 1997, the Center for Individual Rights filed a lawsuit against the University on behalf of two white applicants who claimed they were discriminated against after being rejected from the University's College of Literature, Science and the Arts. CIR filed a similar lawsuit against the Law School on Dec. 3, 1997.

"Both are suing to get into the University and to change the policies in the University," Barry said. "They believe it violates the 14th Amendment to the Constitution."

In both lawsuits, high school and college students, backed by several campus and national organizations, have unsuccessfully attempted to intervene. In order to intervene, a group must prove that its interests are not already adequately represented. Both groups have appealed the judge's denial for intervention.

"Both cases are scheduled for trial in May or June," Barry said.

Both the University and CIR are waiting to find out the class certification status, which will determine whether the ruling will be applied to just the named plaintiffs or will apply to an entire class of applicants.

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