This article examines the specific historical experiences of minority students at the University of Michigan from 1970 to the late 1990s, in order to provide a context for understanding and appreciating the ways in which affirmative action remedies should address patterns of past discrimination.

This study examined the association between sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence, and condom use among African American and Hispanic urban girls. In this sample of 56 sexually active girls, 50% did not use condoms consistently and therefore were at higher risk for acquiring HIV or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teens who…

Investigating the role of preferences in causing persistent patterns of racial residential segregation in the United States has a long history. In this paper, we bring a new perspective--and new data from the 2004 Detroit Area Study--to the question of how best to characterize black and white preferences toward living in neighborhoods with people…

While colleges and legal analysts are focusing on what to do in the post-Hopwood world, some of us are still asking whether a move away from affirmative action was a prudent move from the beginning. Is it fair for society to move away from supporting students who have not had an equitable chance at the educational brass ring just because, in most…

Graduation rates are a fundamental indicator of whether or not the nation's public school system is doing what it is intended to do: enroll, engage, and educate youth to be productive members of society. Since almost 90 percent of the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs require some postsecondary education, having a high school diploma and the…

This study focuses on the effectiveness of the alternative elementary teacher certification program at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. The program was developed in response to the projected teacher shortage, the need for teachers in subjects such as mathematics and science, the need for teachers in urban schools, and the need for…

Uses a time-series approach to investigate whether Michigan's school finance arrangements provide equal opportunity for Black minority students. Employing four relationship-based measures (the correlation coefficient, slope, elasticity, and adjusted relationship), the study found a generally positive relationship between Black student enrollment…

For a number of years, colleges and universities have been making efforts to amend past discrimination and noninclusion of underserved minority students through targeted admissions, financial aid, and other programs. Now, these programs--in their original incarnation and, some would say, their original intent--are on the line. The big push to…

This study addressed two questions: (a) Do different forms of campus racial diversity contribute uniquely to students' learning and educational experiences when they are simultaneously tested utilizing multilevel modeling? (b) Does a campus where students take greater advantage of those diversity opportunities have independent positive effects on…

Michigan's "rust bowl" days are over. Although the work force is still too dependent on auto manufacturing, the economy is diversifying into trade, distribution, and financial and business services. The new jobs created are mostly in small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The state's population is very stable with few migrations…

"Moving the Needle on Poverty" is designed to provide Colorado leaders with an up-to-date picture of the diverse strategies that states across the nation are pursuing to lift individuals, families, and communities out of poverty. As the report indicates, many states are choosing to set specific and measurable goals for poverty reduction,…

On 23 June 2003, the Supreme Court of the United States issued two rulings on the constitutionality of race preferences in university admissions. The cases in question both involved the University of Michigan and were designated Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger. The Michigan rulings were a stunning triumph for race preferences, from…

"The Achiever" is a monthly publication for parents and community leaders. Each issue contains news and information about school improvement in the United States. Highlights of this issue include: (1) President Signs College Cost Reduction Act; (2) Galvanizing the Community: Charter Schools Provides Greater Choice to Colorado Latinos…

A survey of American history textbooks used in Michigan schools concludes that they are "very seriously deficient" in their treatment of minority groups, particularly Negroes. This review of textbooks is mandated by the Social Studies Textbook Act passed by the legislature in 1966 which requires an annual random sampling to ascertain how…

To date, few studies have quantitatively examined within-group differences among charter schools. This is largely due to the lack of a workable typology with which to describe and classify schools. This study fills that gap with a two dimensional typology constructed from a sample of 1182 charter schools in five states--Arizona, California,…