IU backs Michigan admissions policy

IU has taken an official stance supporting the University of Michigan in its affirmative action admissions policy case, in which a white student is challenging the university policy of recognizing race and ethnicity during admissions decisions.\nThe University filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court Wednesday in the case of Grutter v. Bollinger, supporting the consideration of race as a factor in admissions. Wednesday was the final day to file the briefs, which are submitted by non-party members to advise the court. \nIU interim president Gerald Bepko said the University believes diversity is important to the student's learning experience.\n"If use of race in pursuit of diversity is determined unconstitutional, our ability to admit a student body that best meets our academic mission would be compromised," Bepko said in a statement.\nGloria Gibson, associate vce chancellor for Multicultural Affairs, said she is pleased that the trustees have remained clear with their stance on this issue.\n"I am happy that the University is publicly supporting the University of Michigan," she said. "It deserved a statement, and the trustees have made their stance clear in the past and been consistent with their statements."\nAbout 40 universities Tuesday said they planned to file briefs, including the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Miami, despite the state of Florida coming forth against Michigan's case.\nOhio State also released a statement supporting Michigan and the use of ethnicity in admissions.\n"The Council on Diversity wants to affirm that diversity is not a deficit, but a dividend, not a burden but a blessing, not a fad but our future," Ohio State officials said in the statement. \nOther nationally prominent groups including the United Auto Workers and the AFL-CIO also announced they would file a brief on Michigan's behalf.\nThe IU School of Law admissions committee uses race and ethnicity as well as grade point average and law school test scores to make their decisions.\nIn IU's brief, the University said it relied on the 1978 Bakke decision in using ethnicity in its law school admission policy.\n"Faculty at the IU School of Law have determined that a diverse student body in the school is an important part of the school's effort to provide the highest quality education to all of its students possible," the brief said. "In furthering diversity through its admissions program, IU School of Law both confers substantial benefits upon its students and responds to expectations of the state, the legal community and employers who recruit the school's graduates."\nPresident Bush spoke out against the Michigan policy in January. Opponents will have a chance to respond to supporters' briefs.\nThe case will be argued before the Supreme Court on April 1, 2003.\nThe Associated Press contributed to this report.