Judge sets trial date for lawsuit against 'U'

After nearly one year of heated debate between Michigan state legislators; two legal intervention attempts; hours of intense dialogue and dozens of campus protests, one of the lawsuits attacking the University's use of race in admissions is scheduled for trial.

A Michigan judge scheduled a tentative trial date of June 1999 for the lawsuit filed against the Law School, leaving the suit against the College of Literature, Science and the Arts without a court date, University spokesperson Julie Peterson said.

Both cases are still in the discovery phase, as the defendants and the plaintiffs exchange and review information.

"This has certainly been a very challenging year for all of us, but I think that we have so much at stake, ...," said Lisa Baker, former associate vice president for University Relations.

The Center for Individual Rights - a conservative, Washington, D.C.-based law firm - filed the first of two lawsuits against the University challenging its admissions policies on Oct. 14. It first targeted LSA and then filed a similar suit against the Law School in early December.

That wasn't the first time the University's admission policies fell under scrutiny.

During the summer of 1997, a handful of Michigan state legislators spearheaded a campaign to identify individuals who believed they had been unfairly treated as a result of the University's use of affirmative action.

Ultimately, CIR filed the first lawsuit on behalf of two white applicants, Jennifer Gratz and Jason Hamacher, who were denied admission to the University several years ago.

CIR then filed the lawsuit against the University's Law School on behalf of 1996 applicant Barbara Grutter.

Others have wanted to get involved in the lawsuits as well. Two groups composed of organizations and individuals - one in each suit - have unsuccessfully attempted to join the University as co-defendants in the cases.

This summer, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman denied the motion of 41 students - from Texas, California and Michigan - to become co-defendants in the lawsuit challenging the Law School.

U.S. District Judge Patrick Duggan also denied a similar motion to intervene in the case against LSA, which was filed on behalf of 17 Detroit-area high school students.

The University had taken a neutral position on the addition of the intervenors.

To become co-defendants, the two groups had to demonstrate that the University could not adequately represent their positions.

Miranda Massie, lead attorney for Law School lawsuit coalition, said the group has " ...a much greater stake than any University can have."

Massie said the group has filed an appeal against the judge's decision. A spokesperson for the coalition that tried to intervene in the LSA suit said the group also may file an appeal.

As the lawsuit ensues, representatives on both sides have not wavered from their positions.

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