Princeton is close to signing a Supreme Court brief backing affirmative action in college admissions as the University of Michigan prepares to announce the names of the many organizations and institutions that have already done so.
University Vice President for Public Affairs Bob Durkee '69 said that it's "very likely" that the University will sign a brief written by Harvard University to be filed in the cases that could decide whether race can be used as criteria in admissions.
The deadline for filing briefs with the Supreme Court is tomorrow. Durkee said the brief would be finalized and made public either today or tomorrow.
Princeton will not be the only other school to sign the brief, he said.
The University of Michigan had planned a press conference in Washington today to publicize the support it is receiving from other universities, companies and groups. However, snow forced the cancellation of the press conference.
A Michigan press release said that more than 50 amicus briefs would be filed in support of the university's position, representing over 200 organizations from different ethnic groups, education organizations, large corporations and individuals.
The Supreme Court will hear two cases brought by white applicants who claim they were rejected as a result of racial preferences given to blacks and Hispanics. The briefs are filed with the Supreme Court for the court to consider.
The Bush administration has filed a brief against the university, claiming that the use of race in admissions represents unfair racial discrimination. Instead, the administration has promoted the use of "percent-systems," whereby the top fraction of students at a high school are automatically admitted, to promote campus diversity.
University sociology researcher Marta Tienda authored a recently-published study that found that percent plans are not effective in preserving diversity in the absence of affirmative action.
Michigan uses a points-based admission process. Under the current 150-point system, African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans receive 20 points automatically for being a member of an underrepresented minority. Princeton and most smaller institutions do not use points in admissions.
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