Press Releases

New Admissions and Diversity Publication Debuts as Third Anniversary of University of Michigan Admissions Decisions Nears

06/21/06

As the third anniversary of the Supreme Court decisions in two University of Michigan cases approaches, the College Board will release Admissions and Diversity After Michigan: The Next Generation of Legal and Policy Issues. The publication is the culmination of the first two years of the Access and Diversity Collaborative, which has involved the participation of hundreds of educators from colleges, universities and professional organizations throughout the country.

The manual, authored by Arthur L. Coleman and Scott R. Palmer from the law firm of Holland & Knight LLP, provides an in-depth discussion of key policy and evidence issues that can help guide the development and implementation of race- and ethnicity-conscious admissions policies. The manual also reflects the strong commitment of higher education leaders to "roll up their sleeves" in an effort to achieve their diversity goals and to do so in legally sound ways—consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court's guidance in 2003.

"Admissions and Diversity After Michigan includes critical information to educational leaders as we enhance our efforts and strengthen our commitments to achieve diversity on our campuses," said Mabel Freeman, Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience at The Ohio State University. "The higher education community takes the issue of diversity seriously and we are all working together to make a significant difference for our students and our campuses."

The manual outlines policy descriptions, key points and an informative Q&A as well as "Practice Pointers" regarding admissions models, critical mass, and race-neutral alternatives. In addition to reviewing the specific admissions models that have been reviewed and endorsed (and rejected) by the Supreme Court, this manual discusses:

• Background principles that are clear as a matter of federal law with respect to key admissions issues;
• Insights into federal case-specific facts and arguments that shed light on the meaning of those principles and their potential extension into other settings; and,
• "Second generation"policy and evidence issues that have not been comprehensively addressed by federal courts, but that (as logical extensions of settled principles) are important to consider.

Along with the College Board, several national organizations have sponsored the work of the Collaborative. Sponsors, which have helped provide direction for the work of the Collaborative, include the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Law School Admission Council, the Graduate Management Admissions Council, the American Dental Education Association, and 33 institutional sponsors. In addition, support for the Collaborative has been provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and The Goldman Sachs Foundation.

Admissions and Diversity After Michigan is the third in a series to come from the Collaborative project launched in the summer of 2004 to bring together legal and enrollment management experts to continue discussions about access and diversity policies following the June 2003 Supreme Court decisions in the University of Michigan cases. Over the course of two years, the Collaborative conducted twelve seminars with participation by representatives from over 250 higher education institutions. Through a series of meetings and other discussions with practitioners, the collaborative developed pragmatic strategic planning, legal, and policy tools to help institutions meet their diversity-related goals in ways that are legally sound. This project focused on three topics, and has now published guidebooks for each on:

• Financial aid and scholarships,
• Outreach, recruitment, and retention,
• Admissions.

Admissions and Diversity After Michigan can be downloaded without charge as a PDF at www.collegeboard.com/diversitycollaborative/background.html. Printed copies are available for purchase (item #060371890 at $15.00 per copy; $5.00 per copy for orders of 50 or more) from the College Board. Credit card orders are accepted at 800 323-7155. Single book credit card orders above $25 may be placed at the College Board Store www.collegeboard.com. Purchase orders and credit card orders may be faxed to 888 321-7183. All orders with payment may be sent to: College Board Publications, P.O. Box 869010, Plano, TX 75074. Please add $4.00 for postage and handling for the purchase of one copy; add 10 percent of your order total for a purchase of 50 copies. No other discounts apply.

About Holland & Knight's Education Policy Practice: Holland & Knight's Education Policy Practice provides states, school districts, universities, and other education providers across the country with a unique array of legal, policy, strategic planning and, advocacy services. With a focus on preventive law, the team helps education leaders meet their goals in ways that also satisfy federal legal requirements thereby improving educational outcomes while reducing the risk of litigation or enforcement. The team's advocacy services help education leaders work with the U.S. Department of Education and Congress to ensure that the sound education principles are reflected in federal law and policy. Holland & Knight's Education Policy Practice includes two former deputy assistant secretaries for civil rights in the U.S. Department of Education and a former deputy general counsel in the U.S. Department of Education.