University of Michigan News Service – UM News

Sixth Circuit upholds Law School admissions process

Following are statements from University of Michigan Interim President B. Joseph White and Law Dean Jeffrey Lehman regarding the Sixth Circuit Court’s decision today (May 14) upholding the University’s Law School admissions policy.

Interim President B. Joseph White: “This is a great day for the University of Michigan and for educators across the nation. I am pleased the court recognized that diversity brings educational benefits to all students – minority and majority alike. The Sixth Circuit affirmed that our Law School admissions program is constitutional and fair. Today’s decision is significant not only for higher education but for our country as a whole. We must prepare our students to learn and to lead in the world’s most diverse democracy.”

U-M Law Dean Jeffrey Lehman: “Today’s decision is a tremendous victory for all of higher education. Our constitution recognizes the educational benefit of having students study in a racially integrated environment, and universities may consider that benefit as one of many factors in a comprehensive admissions policy. The Law School is grateful for the broad base of endorsement that our admissions policy has received in the past few years from other law schools, from the legal profession, and from the business community. And we are proud to have played a part in this historic result.”

The full court decision can be found on the web at http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/legal/grutter/gru-ap-op.html.

U-M Assistant General Counsel Jonathan Alger has written ananalysis of the decision that can be found athttp://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/new/grut-ap-analysis.html.

Several groups and organizations have issued statements insupport of the decision, which can be accessed athttp://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/support/.

A letter from President White to the campus community can be found at http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/new/grut-ap-analysis.htmlhttp://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/support/