. . . Fall 1997
Lawsuit targets U. admissions policy
A lawsuit challenging the University’s undergraduate admissions policy was filed in US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Oct. 14.
The plaintiffs assert that the University is violating the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on the ground that some white applicants are treated "less favorably in considering their applications for admission to the LSA college" on the ground of their race. (See related story.)
The two plaintiffs, who are enrolled at U-M-Dearborn and Michigan State University, are supported by the Center for Individual Rights, a Washington DC-based law firm that won a class-action case against the University of Texas law school’s admissions policies.
In response to the suit filed against the University, U-M President Lee C. Bollinger issued the following statement:
"Since its founding, the University of Michigan has been committed to providing an education to the widest range of students. Throughout our history we have included students from diverse geographical, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
"For almost 200 years, public universities have unlocked the doors to social and economic opportunity to students from many different backgrounds, and we believe it is absolutely essential that they continue to do so. Our mission and core expertise is to create the best educational environment we can. We do this in part through a diverse faculty and student body.
"Our admissions policies are linked to these core values, especially our chief value: academic excellence. We are supported in this judgment by virtually all of America’s leading universities, and we believe that our admissions policies are fully consistent with existing legal principles.
"We use a variety of factors to determine a student’s admissibility to the University. These include, among others: high school grade point average; the rigor of the curriculum during high school years, especially the number of advanced placement and international baccalaureate courses offered; standardized test scores such as SAT/ACT scores; geography (Michigan residency, underrepresented counties in Michigan; underrepresented regions in the United States); alumni relationships (parent; sibling or grandparent); essay quality; personal achievement (state, regional and national level); leadership and service (state, regional and national level); socioeconomically disadvantaged student or education; underrepresented racial or ethnic minority identity or education; athletic ability.
"Each of these factors can influence a student’s admissibility because they are considered to be characteristics that contribute to the quality of the University and the diversity of the student body. No one factor is determinative; our approach utilizes both objective and subjective factors, treating the admission of students as both an art and a science.
"The University has retained Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, a highly regarded international law firm, to represent it in this lawsuit."