Students express surprise Students express surprise
Achieving diversity in future, effect on morale are themes
March 28, 2001
BY ERIK LORDS and MARY OWEN FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS
For University of Michigan law students and professors, a 90-page federal court ruling against the school's admission policies was must reading Tuesday. Some scoured it on the Internet. Others downloaded U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman's opinion for hard copies. Nearly everyone had an opinion.
Banter about the ruling dominated classroom discussion and conversations in hallways, cafes and bathrooms. Jamala McFadden, a third-year law student from Chicago, clutched her copy, which was disheveled and full of pen markings, as she walked out of the Black Law Student Alliance office. Like many law students, she received an e-mail from law school Dean Jeffrey Lehman announcing the decision.
A second e-mail from Lehman informed students that the law school would be appealing the case. "We're speculating about what's going to happen with next year's entering class," McFadden said. "Will there be a cloud over their heads? What will the mood be like?" Katrice Bridges, a third-year law student from Chicago and also an alliance member, said she was surprised by the ruling.
In December, another federal judge ruled that U-M's undergraduate policies on admissions were constitutional and that the university could continue considering race among many factors in admissions. "For the undergraduate policy to be held constitutional and then ours not to be, it was like, "What?" Bridges said. School officials held an impromptu meeting where more than 80 students picked up the opinion and heard law school administrators speak.
"The fight isn't over," said Charlotte Johnson, the law school's assistant dean of students. Johnson encouraged students to keep an open mind when discussing the ruling and to be respectful about each person's opinion. Some students agreed with Friedman's decision, and said reading his opinion solidified their views that race should not be used in admissions.
Others said the judge's ruling might force the law school to come up with other ways to achieve diversity. "My feeling is that diversity is very good and very important, but there may be another way to achieve it," said Jeff Klingman, a first-year law student from Vienna, Va. "If it's struck down by the Supreme Court, I know that the law school will find other ways to achieve diversity."
He said instead of giving points for race, the school could more heavily weigh an applicant's economic status, sexual orientation, gender or age. Farah Mongeau, a third-year law student who was among students allowed to intervene as parties in the case, said she was disappointed in Friedman's ruling. "Despite the judge's recognition of historical and current discrimination, he decided diversity was not a compelling state interest," Mongeau said.
"It seems like he had his mind made up before the trial. With all the evidence presented by the university, I don't see how he ruled against U-M. He needed a month to figure out how to justify the result." Matt Nolan, president of the Michigan Student Assembly, the student governing body, said the group will continue to support affirmative action.
Contact ERIK LORDS at 313-222-6513 or lords@freepress.com. Staff writer Maryanne George contributed to this report.
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