I *1 2 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, December 3, 2002 DECISION TIME ISTORYa MAKING Separate is not equal: May 17, 1954 In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court rules 'separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,' forcing schools to desegregate. The case was filed by the :.: . National Association for athe Advancement of Colored People after t Oliver Brown attempted to enroll his daughter, Linda, into an all-white elementary school but failed. Setting a precedent: June 28, 1978 Allan Bakke, a white applicant to the medical school at the University of California at Davis, sues the institution because he believes its race-based admissions policy discriminated against R" whites. The case eventually finds its way to a divided Supreme Court. In a 5-4 decision, the Court rules the use of quotas to admit minorities unconstitutional. In his opinion, Justice Lewis Marshall Powell says race- conscious admissions are acceptable ,. in college admissions. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Thurgood Marshall states he agrees "with the judgment of the Court only insofar as it permits a university to consider the race of an applicant in making admissions decisions."Powel Split circuits: March 18, 1996 Four white applicants to the University of Texas Law School challenge the college's admissions policy, stating they were unfairly rejected from the school. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals rules the Supreme Court's Bakke decision to be invalid in the case and suspends the use of race- based admissions in the circuit. The Supreme Court later chooses not to hear the c ase. It also later declines to hear similar cases involving race- conscious admissions policies at the. University of Washington, in which the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of using race as a factor in admissions, and the University of Georgla, n which the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against race-conscious admissions policies. BAM rallies support for '' policies By Shab ina . Khatri Daily Staff Reporter . co n:t. ;:::. , "We don't want resegregation, equal quality education!" chanted students gath- ered on the steps of the Michigan Union yesterday at a press conference shortly after the Supreme Court announced its decision to take both the Law School and undergraduate cases challenging the use of race in admissions. About 20 students stood in the cold with snow falling around them as they held up signs supporting affirmative action. Luke Massie, a member of the Coali- tion to Defend Affirmative Action and Integration and Fight for Equality by Any Means Necessary, implored stu- dents to get involved in the movement and expressed confidence about the Court's future ruling. "Every single person supporting equal rights and equality must take a stand at this time. This is the key turn- ing point," he said. "We will win (Grut- ter v. Bollinger)." But LSA sophomore Karl Sowislo, a staffer of the Michigan Review who attended the press conference, had a dif- ferent prediction. "First of all, I think it's unconstitu- tional because in the public sector, as in colleges and universities, admissions policies should be looked at with a blind eye," he said. "I think justice will prevail, meaning affirmative action will be overturned." Education senior Agnes Aleobua announced BAMN's plans to hold a national Civil Rights march with 1 mil- lion attendees in Washington when the Court hears the case in March or April. "We will not turn back the hands of time. I implore everyone in this commu- nity to join us and march in (Washing- ton)," Aleobua said. "Brown v. Board of Education means as much today as the declaration that all men are created equal meant during slavery. "We will be marching on the Supreme 0 JONATHON TRIEST/Daily ABOVE: Members of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action and Integration and Fight For Equality By Any Means Necessary hold a press conference on the steps of the Michigan Union yesterday. RIGHT: James Justin Wilson, a member of Young Americans for Freedom, expresses his distaste for race-based admissions policies as BAMN members wave signs on the steps of the Michigan Union yesterday. Court when they hear our case," she added. Miranda Massie, lead attorney for the student intervenors in the Law School case, said the Supreme Court's ruling on the admissions lawsuits could either uphold or re-define the precedent for integration set by Brown v. Board of Education. "Affirmative action plans are deseg- regation plans for higher education. The student intervenors will argue before the U.S. Supreme Court that integration is this nation's most compelling inter- est," she said in a written statement. One of the lawyers for the inter- venors, Jodi Masley, said the Supreme Court's decision to hear the University's cases will have a deep impact on the Civil Rights movement started by Mar- tin Luther King Jr. four decades ago. "This case will determine whether Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of progress and equality will be realized in this society," Masley said. Masley also announced that BAMN will host, a National Civil Rights Sum- mit and Conference at the University from Jan. 20-26, which will commence on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Noting cases' implications, students react to court decision By Jennifer Misthal Daily Staff Reporter Though students are divided on the validity of the Uni- versity's use of race as a factor in admissions, many agreed on the importance of the Supreme Court's decision yester- day to hear the two lawsuits facing the University regarding its current admissions policies. "If's an exciting time to be a student at the University of Michigan. This is definitely a historic moment," Michigan Student Assembly President Sarah Boot said. But she said she wants and expects the University to uphold its current admission policies. "Right now we're the victors. Right now our policies are deemed legal," Boot said. "I'm excited that affirma- tive action in higher education has moved to the level of the Supreme Court." For supporters of the issue, including LSA senior Kendra Byrne, yesterday was a time to uphold their opinions main- taining the use of race as an integral component of the admis- sions processes for institutions of higher education. "A lot of people are really sheltered and when they go to college they should see people that are not like them- selves," Byrne said. "People should not view affirmative action as policies rewarding unfair advantages to minority groups," Byrne added. Interfraternity Council President Joel Winston said like many other student organizations, IFC supports the Univer- sity's policies on diversity but would like to see more inte- gration outside the classroom. "Many feel the University falls short of promoting diver- sity outside the classroom. From an IFC perspective, we wish the University would do more to work with us," Win- ston said, adding there is a great deal that lies within the exploratioin of diversity. From a personal standpoint, Winston said reforms in public education are necessary to promote future equality among students. "I don't think there's enough opportunity for everyone" he said. "The government needs to enforce a minimal level of education that is not sub-par. The University will have a diffi- cult fight defending their diversity argument because diversi- ty needs to occur in more areas than the classroom. It needs to work to cultivate an environment that promotes true inter- action across the board." But LSA senior Justin James Wilson, a member of Young Americans for Freedom, said the issue of affirmative action is rooted in racism. Although he said he supports the Court's decision to hear the two cases, Wilson said he hopes the court will recognize the segregation affirmative action creates. "It's one more step toward segregation in higher educa- tion," Wilson said. "How can you have true equality when you have unequal means of achieving it?" Wilson said the de-institutionalization of racism is the inevitable answer to the debate. "The only way to convince people and solve the problem of ambient racism is de-institutionalizing racism," he said, adding that Americans decided to not let race be a deciding factor in a person's fate in 1964 with the passage of the Civil Rights Act. School of Art and Design freshman Megan Hildebrandt said affirmative action deviated from its original mission and now policies offering advantages to selected minorities need to be changed. "It was a good idea when it first started and I think it's a good idea for people in urban areas, but I wish (administrators) could totally change affirmative action so it is based on financial need rather than skin color and origin," Hildebrandt said. The Supreme Court's acceptance of the cases might potentially create several widespread effects, Engineer- ing junior Ruben Duran said. "It will allow affirmative action to be exposed for what it is," Duran said. "I think the administration is mortified. Now it has to stand up to the Constitution and it won't pass" Duran said, adding that the University's active discrimination is a violation of the 14th amendment, which grants United States citizens equal protection under the law. Then there were two: Dec. 3, 1997 The CIR files a second suit, this time against the University's Law School - Grutter v. Bollinger. The University becomes a spotlight for activists, and then-University President Lee Bollinger becomes a national spokesman for diversity in higher education. Other universities look to high court to settle issue of race, education The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $105. Winter term (January through April) is $110, yearlong (September through April) is $190. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscrip- tions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. ADDRESS: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1327. 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