Expert: Asians 'pawns' in U-M admissions case Expert: Asians 'pawns' in U-M admissions case
February 13, 2001 BY MARYANNE GEORGE FREE PRESS
ANN ARBOR BUREAU The achievements of Asian Americans have been misused to discredit the abilities of African Americans, Frank Wu, a Howard University law professor testified Monday at the trial over the University of Michigan's law school admissions policy. Wu, a national expert on the impact of affirmative action on Asian Americans, told U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman in Detroit that Asian Americans have been used to divide minorities.
They have been stereotyped as a superminority that has been able to overcome obstacles to success. "Asian Americans have been used as a pawn to discredit affirmative action," said Wu, a 1991 graduate of the U-M law school. "They have been used as a wedge group instead of as a way to expand the dialog
ue." Wu said the case against U-M marks the first time Asian Americans have been formally brought into the debate over affirmative action. Barbara Grutter of Plymouth Township sued the law school in 1997, claiming she was denied admission in favor of less-qualified minority applicants. A group of minority students has been allowed to intervene as an equal party in the case against the U-M law school and a similar case against U-M's undergraduate admissions policy.
Wu testified at the request of an attorney for the intervenors. Although Asian Americans are not considered an underrepresented minority at U-M, therefore disqualifying them from special consideration under the law school's admissions policy, they are included when U-M releases minority enrollment numbers. At the U-M law school, Asian Americans represent 10 percent of the students enrolled last fall. Wu said Asian Americans are plagued by stereotypes that they are universally high achievers, affluent, good at math and able to fix computers.
Such assumptions ignore the ethnic diversity within the Asian-American community and the fact that for decades, immigration laws allowed only a few affluent Asians to immigrate. Wu criticized statements by some opponents of affirmative action who claim that Asian Americans have been harmed by the policy. "Asian Americans have not been hurt by affirmative action. They've been hurt by discrimination," Wu said. "Asian Americans recognize affirmative action as a necessary remedy." Closing arguments in the case are expected Friday.
Contact MARYANNE GEORGE at 734-665-5600.
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