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Wednesday
October 15, 1997

News: 76-DAILY
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Byffrey Kosseff
)a taff Reporter
The law firm that won the prece-
lent-setting Hopwood affirmative
action case in Texas filed a class-
action lawsuit yesterday against the
Jniversity's undergraduate admis-
ions policies.
The lawsuit was filed against the
Jniversity's College of Literature,
Science and Arts, University
Prgent Lee Bollinger and former
Pr ent James Duderstadt.
Jennifer Gratz, who was rejected
from the University in 1995, and
Patrick Hamacher, an unsuccessful
996 applicant, are named as the two
>laintiffs in the suit, which was filed
t the federal District Court in Detroit

SA admissions under fire

yesterday. The lawsuit claims that
because the two are white, they were
treated "less favorably in considering
their applications for admission to the
LSA college."
"Race should never be a factor,"
Hamacher said in an interview with
The Michigan Daily.
"I will not deny the fact that we
have used race as a factor," Director
of Undergraduate Admissions Ted
Spencer said yesterday. "We want a
variety of students representing
diverse areas. We've always felt that

race was important."
Hamacher contacted the office of
state Rep. Deborah Whyman (R-
Canton) after he read a newspaper
article about the University's affirma-
tive action programs. Whyman, along
with three other state representatives,
referred him and hundreds of other
students interested in filing a lawsuit
to the Center for Individual Rights, a
Washington D.C.-based law firm that
is a leader in fighting affirmative
action.
The plaintiffs claim that the

University's admissions policies vio-
late the 14th Amendment and the
Civil Rights Act of 1964. University
admissions standards allow race to be
one of the deciding factors for admit-
tance, CIR contends.
Hamacher said he was upset that
minorities with lower qualifications
gained acceptance to the University.
With a GPA slightly under 3.4 and an
ACT score of 28, Hamacher claims he
was qualified for admission to the
University.
"I had seen other kids getting in,

and they had much lower credentials
than me," said Hamacher, who is cur-
rently a student at Michigan State
University.
Gratz, who attended high school in
Southgate and graduated with a 3.765
GPA and an ACT score of 25, said she
hopes the lawsuit will change an
admissions system that she believes is
flawed.
"I felt like there was a wrongdo-
ing,"Gratz said. "The policies need to
be changed, so nobody has to go
through what I went through."
Terry Pell, a CIR spokesperson,
said the lawsuit against the University
has the potential of setting a prece-
dent similar to the Hopwood case.
See LAWSUIT, Page 7

More on the lawsuits
The University uses various
factors in its admissions
process, Page 5
jj Faculty and deans emphasize
diversity, critique admissions
policies, Page 5
Former University President
James Duderstadt's Michigan
Mandate changed enrollment
at the University, Page 5
Hopwood vs. The University
of Texas has changed admis-
sions policies and campus life
at UT, Page 5

"I will not deny the fact

that we have used race as a factor."
Ted Spencer, director of undergraduate admissions

State Rep. David Jaye
"This will be the
great battle to
eliminate
affirmative
action
nationwide."
Provost Nancy Cantor
"We are a highly
selective, large,
public university
that is committed
to diversity."
The Michigan Mandate's impact
kce the Michigan Mandate's implementation
986, minority enrollment has increased
from 12.7 percent to 25.4 percent.

Suit leaves
students
undecided
By Katie Plona
Daily Staff Reporter
As news of the class-action lawsuit challenging
University admissions policies spread across campus, stu-
dents 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 move-
ment 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.
"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 stan-
dardized 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 attract-
ed 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 partic-
See STUDENTS, Page 7

The University's minority
enrollment as a percentage
of alstundergraduatse
students:

24.8

18.2
S 1s-iH

24.2
22.8
21.4
201

1927

25.4
'96

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.

'u '91

'a

---------------

4raun inks
extension
withCa
By Dan Stillman
Daily Sports Writer
*e search for Steve Fisher's replace-
ment narrowed by one last night.
Just hours after getting off the phone
with University Athletic Director Tom
Goss, California coach Ben Braun
announced he had signed a new two-
year extension with the Golden Bears
and isn't going anywhere until after
2004.
"I've been going through some soul
se~[ching the last two days," said
un, who had been rumored as the
top candidate for the position of head
men's basketball coach at Michigan.
"I'm honored that they approached
me about the job.
"The timing is the big issue. I didn't
feel it would be appropriate at this time
to make this kind of change."
-ftl mta%"Annrain.. r .trn ., y ,ur

California dreamin'
Braun gone: California head
coach agrees to a two-year con-
tract extension that will keep him
at Cal until 2004.
Other possibilities: Michigan
Athletic Director Tom Goss has
plans to meet with former
Michigan great Cazzie Russel this,
week. Goss said he hopes to
meet with four or fiveother candi-
dates whom he would not name.
"Probably, he would've been in my
top five," Goss said. "I'd call it a very
minor setback."
Braun detailed the conversation say-
ing, "Tom simply said I was at the top
of the list. We never had any further dis-
cussion."
Meanwhile, Goss talked to several
more coaches yesterday about the posi-
tion, including Michigan legend Cazzie
Russell, now a basketball coach at
Savannah College of Art and Design in
Georgia.
"Cazzie was excited to be part of the
process,' Goss said. "Absolutely, he's
interested. He's Michigan."
Goss said he has set a time and place
to --P+ wt Raim-,nel- but ould ianot

Glow bowling
draws young crowd

By Jennifer Yachnin
Daily Staff Reporter
Everyone shouts to be heard, the air
smells like smoke and the black lights
shine among pitchers of beer.
No, it's not another weekend party.
It's bowling.
"We have black lights near the pins
and it creates more of a night-club
atmosphere," said Frank Pepp, general
manger of Colonial Lanes Bowling
Center on South Industrial Highway.
Pepp said the black lights are being
installed in bowling alleys around the
country.
"It's part of the 'National
Presentation of Bowling,"' Pepp said.
"We're going to more of an entertain-
ment presentation."
Many students said they would not
bowl if it weren't for the atmosphere at
the bowling alley, which is located one
block south of Stadium Boulevard.
"We come to drink, and it's fun with
the music." said Eastern Michigan

with Coffey and agreed that the atmos-
phere is what draws them to the lanes.
"We all work together," Fujii said.
"This is a good way to meet people."
Pepp said the black light bowling
helps draw in the 18- 30-year-old
crowd.
"We get a lot of college-oriented
groups. It's probably one of the best
social activities around," Pepp said.
LSA sophomore Heather Linch said
she heard about the special bowling
nights from friends.
"This is the first time I've come
here," said Linch, who added that she
hasn't been bowling in many years.
"I'm not very good at (bowling) but it's
just for fun, so that doesn't matter."
Some bowlers said the sport is a good
way to relax.
"It's geared toward a younger crowd.
It's laid back and fun. We have a good
time with it," said Ann Arbor resident
Richard Dunahoo.
However, not all the bowlers enjoy

PAUL TALANIAN/Daily
At Colonial Lanes Bowling Center, Marcus Zilo, a student in the University's MBA
program bowls with friends.

in regular lighting.
EMU senior Matt Ernst said he
enjoys bowling in normal conditions
but finds the black lights "entertaining."
"It's a nice place to come and relax
to hang out with friends," Ernst said.
"I think the music could be toned down

evening.
"We like how (his hat) glows," said
Hale, who said she had black light
bowled once before.
Ceronsky said he enjoyed the bowling,
but that the lack of lighting makes "you
try to concentrate more" than normal.

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