This page contains a chronological record of some of the major events surrounding the passage of California Proposition 209 and other Affirmative Action news. The news section is subdivided by year: 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006
This page was last revised August 3, 2006. (AAD Home Page)
A Chronological Record of News and Events Related to Affirmative Action
News and Announcements: 2006
July 28, 2006: In the debate over affirmative action, the argument is often framed around the rights of two groups: blacks and whites. But Asian residents also have a stake in the proposed ban on affirmative action in Michigan , in the view of Wayne State University Law School Dean Frank Wu. See article Asians Alerted to Affirmative Action Ballot Issue
July 26, 2006: The U.S. Senate confirmed Oklahoma City attorney Jerome Holmes to a federal appeals court Tuesday, overriding objections from some Democrats about his strong opposition to affirmative action programs. See article Senate Confirms Local Attorney to Federal Appeals Court
July 25, 2006: A coalition of local, state and national gay rights groups has joined the opposition to a ballot proposal that would ban some affirmative action programs in Michigan . See article Gay rights Groups Oppose Anti-affirmative Action Proposal
July 25, 2006 : See opinion article Suppressing History
July 20, 2006: Regents, meeting at UC San Francisco's Mission Bay Community Center , agreed Wednesday to convene a study group to report on the impact of Proposition 209. See article UC to Study Ban on Use
July 14, 2006: The Michigan Supreme Court on Thursday denied a motion to reconsider its March order allowing an anti-affirmative action proposal to go before voters on the November ballot, despite widespread allegations that many of the signatures were fraudulently gathered. See article Michigan Supreme Court Allows Anti-affirmative Action Plan on Ballot
July 14, 2006 : The House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to renew the 1965 Voting Rights Act for 25 years, rejecting contentious efforts by Southern Republicans to dilute the landmark law. See article House Renews Voting Rights Act Provisions
June 14, 2006: A November ballot proposal to bar affirmative action from university admissions and government hiring and contracts is in a statistical dead heat, a new Detroit News/WXYZ-TV poll shows. See article Affirmative Action Ban a Dead Heat
June 22, 2006 : Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against Ward Connerly, alleging the California businessman engaged in widespread voter fraud to get a proposal to ban affirmative action on Michigan 's 2006 ballot. See article Detroit Mayor Sues Over Affirmative Action Ballot Issue
June 8, 2006: The Michigan Civil Rights Commission is convinced that people were duped into signing the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative petitions and it is now asking Attorney General Mike Cox to launch a formal investigation into those allegations. See article Civil Rights Seeks Investigation of MCRI
June 6, 2006 : Ward Connerly, Bruce Courtade, Jennifer Gratz, and Sister Monica Kostielney are to take part in a bar association discussion of the Michigan ballot initiative. See article Forum Takes Up Proposal to Ban Affirmative Action
June 6, 2006 : The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to rule on what measures, if any, public school systems may use to maintain racial balance in individual schools. See article Court to Weigh Race as a Factor in School Rolls
June 3, 2006 : This fall 4,852 freshmen are expected to enroll at UCLA, but only 96, or 2%, are African American — the lowest figure in decades and a growing concern at the Westwood campus. See article A Startling Statistic at UCLA
June 1, 2006 : India 's new policy to more than double college seats for low-caste candidates has invited a backlash and protests from upper-caste students and professionals who fear the death of meritocracy. See article Quotas Anger India 's Young
May 7, 2006 : A group of House Republicans wants to do away with bilingual ballots and translation assistance at the polls, a reflection of how tensions over immigration are pervading other issues. See article House GOP Group Targets Bilingual Ballots
May 4, 2006 : After meetings with members of the area's black clergy, Sheriff's department said they realized a perception existed that Eaton County deputies targeted minorities. To counter that perception, the department will step up recruitment of minorities and conduct mandatory diversity training. See article Eaton County: Sheriff's Department Right to Push for Diversity, Training
April 30, 2006 : Thousands attended the 51st annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner held by the Detroit branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The theme for this year's event at Cobo Center was "We've Come too Far to Turn Back Now -- Preserve Affirmative Action." See article NAACP Fundraiser Geared Toward Preserving Affirmative Action
April 29, 2006: Immediately after WMU's Board of Trustees approved a Diversity and Multiculturalism Action Plan on Friday, the board passed a resolution about an "external force" related to the issue. In it, the trustees agreed that the ballot initiative's wording is "vague" and strongly encouraged voters to read the proposed amendment very carefully. See article Proposed Affirmative Action Ban Prompts WMU Resolution
March 31, 2006 : On Thursday, the Michigan Supreme Court put an end to the long, litigious and occasionally raucous fight over whether the issue should go on the Nov. 7 ballot. The court decided not to hear arguments on whether the backers of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative misled people who signed their petitions. See article Affirmative Action Ban up to Voters Now
March 30, 2006: A two-pronged attempt by opponents of affirmative action to scuttle equal opportunity in university admissions and undercut the privacy of college students was roundly defeated today with broad bipartisan support, 337-83 See article House Takes Bipartisan Stand to Protect Equal Opportunity
February 8, 2006: The Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University met today in Special Session and approved a Consent Decree with the United States Department of Justice. The Department of Justice alleged that three graduate fellowship programs violated equal opportunity laws because they were only open to specific minority and women groups. See article Southern Illinois University and U.S. Department of Justice Reach Accord
February 3, 2006 : Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm's top civil rights official told state NAACP leaders Thursday that the governor remains committed to affirmative action. See article Rights Director Affirms Granholm Commitment
January 23, 2006 : The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), part of the Department of Labor, quietly published a proposed rule on Friday that would eliminate the Equal Opportunity Survey, a vital tool that is designed to enable OFCCP to detect discrimination against women and people of color, and target investigations or other enforcement action. See article Administration Proposes Gutting Anti-Discrimination Tool
January 20, 2006 : The Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted 3-0 to approve ballot language suggested by state elections director Chris Thomas. It states the proposal would ban affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin. See article Elections Panel Approves Affirmative Action Proposal
January 6, 2006 : Michigan state election officials on Friday released recommended ballot wording for a proposal that would end some affirmative action programs in their state. See article Wording Suggested for Affirmative Action Ballot Proposal
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