Civilrights.org

Equal Opportunity in Education

Affirmative efforts to extend equal access to educational opportunities to qualified members of all communities or have significantly increased the participation of underrepresented groups - helping to strengthen local communities in cities/states.

Fact Sheets

• Equal Opportunity and Higher Education
• Discrimination Against Women and Girls in Education - July 1, 1997

Reports

• Blend It, Don't End It: Affirmative Action and the Texas Ten Percent Plan After Grutter and Gratz - Leadership Conference on Civil Rights - 6/24/04
• Preserving Diversity in Higher Education: A Manual on Admissions Policies and Procedures After the University of Michigan Decisions - Bingham McCutchen LLP, Morrison & Foerster LLP and Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP - April 1, 2004
• The Bush Administration v. Affirmative Action: Justice Department Drags Feet on Upholding Court Ruling - The Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights - December 2003
• Reaffirming Diversity: A Legal Analysis of the University of Michigan Affirmative Action Cases - The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University - July 2003
• Percent Plans in College Admissions: A Comparative Analysis of Three States' Experience - Civil Rights Project at Harvard University - 2003
• Race-Sensitive Admissions: Back to Basics - Andrew W. Mellon Foundation - 2002

The University of Michigan Cases: Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger

On June 23, 2003, the High Court reaffirmed the use of equal opportunity policies. Prior to the decision, several organizations and individuals filed friend-of-the-court briefs in support of equal opportunity. Since the decision, many reports assessing equal opportunity in higher education have been published.

• More about the University of Michigan Cases

Higher Education After Gratz/Grutter

• Lawsuit Threatens Minority Journalism Program - November 20, 2006
• Diversity Suffering in Washington Higher Education after Affirmative-Action Ban - September 19, 2006
• Diversity: University of California Admissions Not Doing Its Part - August 2, 2006
• Civil Rights Groups Behind Law School Diversity Standard - April 10, 2006
• Changes to Minority Scholarship Programs Pose New Threat to Affirmative Action on Campus - March 22, 2006
• Under Pressure from Justice Dept., Southern Illinois University Agrees to Change Minority Fellowships - February 15, 2006
• DOJ Threatens Lawsuit Over Southern Illinois University's Affirmative Action Program - December 9, 2005
• Controversial Study Underscores Need for Affirmative Action, Say Critics - December 7, 2004
• Post Proposition 209, Black Admissions Continue to Drop at UC Berkeley - July 28, 2004
• Minority Admits Down in UC System; Groups Say Regent Using Asians as 'Pawns' - June 9, 2004
• Washington State May Modify Anti-Affirmative Action Law - January 29, 2004
• Florida Supreme Court: NAACP May Challenge State's Elimination of Affirmative Action - November 20, 2003
• Report Calls on Bush Administration to Accept, Enforce Effects of 'Grutter' Decision - December 17, 2003
• Payton Declares Victory - August 1, 2003

Texas Ten Percent Plan

• Texas Top-10 Percent Plan Preserved - July 11, 2007
• Lawmakers Leave Texas Admissions Law Intact - June 7, 2005
• "Is the Top 10 Plan Unfair?" - Advocacy Letter - October 22, 2004
• Groups: 'Texas Ten Percent Plan' No Replacement for Affirmative Action - June 29, 2004

Why Percent Plans Don't Work

• Why Percent Plans Don't Work (pdf)
• Why Percent Plans Don't Work: Summary of Percent Plans (pdf) - March 2003
• Why Percent Plans Don't Work: Texas, California, and Florida School Age Demographics (pdf)
• Why Percent Plans Don't Work: Enrollment in California Flagship Schools (pdf) - March 2003
• Why Percent Plans Don't Work: Enrollment in Texas Flagship Schools (pdf) - March 2003

Campus Organizing for Equal Opportunity

• Students Defending Against Attacks on Affirmative Action - October 26, 2004
• Students Mobilize for ‘National Take Affirmative Action Days’ - September 29, 2004
• Students Across the Country Celebrate National Take Affirmative Action Day - October 30, 2003
• Students Call on Nation to 'Take Affirmative Action' - October 29, 2003
• Training Teaches Students Key Aspects of Organizing for Affirmative Action - August 7, 2003

Advocacy Letters

• Oppose Representative King's Amendment to H.R. 609 - Advocacy Letter - 3/30/06
• Recognition of Accrediting Agencies - 3/28/06