Ever since the founding of this country, equality, freedom, and justice have been the underlying values of America's political and educational systems. More than 150 years later, higher education policymakers in the United States began to incorporate these values into their admissions decisions by including ethnic and racial diversity as a stated…

This article examines current issues regarding affirmative action in today's institutions of higher learning. It addresses the two recent cases decided before the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the University of Michigan's policy. Two other recent and related issues, the "Hopwood" case and California's Proposition 209 approach, are also…

Suggests that banning all racially sensitive programs and practices in higher education is unacceptable, presenting a history of black admission to higher education and examining: minority student recruiting; athletic departments; race sensitive programs sponsored by foundations; reducing black student dropout rates; race sensitive faculty…

Discusses the ruling in "Hopwood v. State of Texas" that bans the use of race as a major determinate in college admission in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, and its effect on deaf education. An eight-step action plan for teacher-training institutions for increasing minority teachers is presented. (Author/CR)

Efforts to expand diversity in the health professions has received a boost from a prominent member of Congress. U.S. Senator Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, recently introduced a bill to amend the Public Health Service Act as part of a comprehensive initiative to improve the health of minority and other underserved populations. This bill, which is being…

In reaction to the "Hopwood v. Texas" decision, which declared the use of race in college admissions illegal, Texas created a percentage plan that guaranteed admission to students who graduate within a specified percentile of their high school class. Under the Texas plan, any student graduating in the top 10% of his or her high school…

This chapter asserts that to make the case for affirmative action in higher education based on the diversity rationale, the legal debate must be reconceptualized into a policy-oriented framework. It presents a model dividing policy development into four interrelated parts: goals, objectives, strategy, and design. The policy framework is applied to…

This chapter reviews the legal standards governing affirmative action in higher education, examining the diversity rationale and contrasting the cases of Hopwood v. Texas and Wittmer v. Peters, which were decided in 1996. It discusses: the legal standard governing affirmative action in higher education; the remedial interest in overcoming the…

Discusses the effects of the federal appellate court decision in "Hopwood v. University of Texas School of Law," which found race-based admissions criteria in violation of the Constitution. Reviews issues related to permissible admissions criteria, punitive damages, class actions, and administrator personal liability. (MAB)

The United States Supreme Court has had a significant role in the exploration and definition of affirmative action in this country. No more so than in the recent decisions related to the University of Michigan admissions cases. This article will explore the historical role of the U.S. Supreme Court and the decisions that this entity has made in…

This paper introduces a collection of papers that examines the impact of affirmative action on college admission and the importance of school desegregation. The book addresses whether or not the educational value of diversity is sufficiently compelling to justify the consideration of race when making college admission decisions. This introduction…

After Hopwood versus Texas, a court case in which race-conscious university admission was held unconstitutional, colleges failing to reexamine and mend policies may be inviting trouble. Institutions have a responsibility to sustain conversation within and beyond campus communities about affirmative action, looking at the deep differences in values…

This statement presents the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' position on higher education percentage plans. The One Florida Plan bans the consideration of race and gender in university admissions, guaranteeing state university admissions to high school seniors in the top 20 percent of their class, regardless of test scores. Texas' Ten Percent Plan…

In this paper we review the research evidence on the effects of affirmative action in employment, university admissions, and government procurement. We consider effects on both "equity" (or distribution) as well as "efficiency." Overall, we find that affirmative action does redistribute jobs, university admissions, and…

After the appellate court decision in Hopwood versus State of Texas, overturning racial preference in law school admissions, supporters of continued affirmative action policy in higher education are finding conservatives on the offensive and a chilly climate for broad access, but are not planning an aggressive counterattack for fear of negative…