ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A group of national Hispanic leaders will ask President George W. Bush on Wednesday to officially support the University of Michigan’s admissions policies, which are being contested in two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The high court is expected to hear arguments in the cases, challenging the use of race in law school and undergraduate admissions policies, in late March or early April.
The court is considering the issue for the first time since it ruled that colleges could consider race as a factor in admissions decisions in the landmark 1978 Bakke case. The court’s ruling, expected this summer, is expected to influence admissions policies across the nation.
Twelve groups, including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Associations of Colleges, will unveil an open letter to Bush on Wednesday at a press conference at the National Press Club. It will ask Bush to file legal briefs with the court supporting the University of Michigan.
White House officials reportedly are lobbying Bush on both sides of the issue, according to a recent Washington Post report. Solicitor General Ted Olson is said to be eager to file a brief opposing the university’s policies, while White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales is said to be urging Bush to support the policies.
Neither Olson nor Gonzales could be reached for comment Tuesday. The question of whether to weigh in on the cases “remains under review,” according to a statement released by the White House.
Pilar Avila, a spokeswoman for the coalition, said members of
the group have discussed the case with Gonzales.
A high court decision against the University of Michigan would have an adverse effect on higher education for all students, not just minorities, Avila said.
“This is not a diversity or a Latino issue,” Avila said. “This issue concerns the entire nation. … A diverse student body increases the quality of education.”
University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said officials are pleased with the support of the Hispanic community.
“They have strongly articulated the reasons why access to higher education is so crucial for the Hispanic community, and their concerns about the impact on related programs, including financial aid.”
Sheldon Steinbach, general counsel for the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C., said many people are contacting the White House and asking for support of the use of race in admissions.
The council, an umbrella organization for 1,800 colleges and universities, expects to file a brief supporting the university on behalf of several dozen educational groups, Steinbach said.
© 2003, Detroit Free Press. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.