Two thumbs down on Amend. 46

UNC, Metro St.: Ballot measure hurts minorities

By Myung Oak Kim, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 5, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story should have made it clear that a comment from Jessica Peck Corry was made during an interview earlier this summer. Corry, executive director of the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, the campaign promoting the proposed amendment, said her comment at that time referred specifically to CU, a context that the story should have addressed.

Some public colleges are formally opposing a ballot measure that would prohibit them from considering an applicant's race, ethnicity or gender in admissions and hiring.

The board of trustees at Metropolitan State College of Denver voted unanimously Wednesday to oppose Amendment 46. University of Northern Colorado's board of trustees took the same action Aug. 7. Both schools said passage of the measure would hurt minority student enrollment.

Also known as the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, Amendment 46 would prohibit state agencies from granting preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex or ethnicity in hiring, education and contracts.

"The board of trustees opposes passage of Amendment 46 because it would jeopardize our ability to attract and foster a diverse student population," said UNC Trustee Jim Chavez, executive director of the Latin American Educational Foundation.

One in four students at Metro State is a racial or ethnic minority, and the school is trying to raise its Hispanic enrollment to 25 percent.

Metro State spokeswoman Cathy Lucas said Amendment 46 would not hinder a student's ability to gain admission because of Metro State's open enrollment policy. But the measure, if passed by voters, would hurt a student's chances of getting certain financial aid packages.

Amendment 46 is one of four on the fall ballot this fall that affect colleges. The other three, Amendments 50, 58 and 59, are related to funding mechanisms for scholarships and overall state tax dollars earmarked for colleges. The board of trustees at Metro State and UNC voted to support those measures.

CSU officials have not taken a stance on any of the measures, and it is unclear whether they will before November. The board of regents at the University of Colorado does not plan to take an official position on the measures, university spokesman Ken McConnellogue said Thursday.

He said CU regents do not agree on the measures, "And typically, when they come out with resolutions, they like to be unanimous."

In July, CU officials said Amendment 46 would ban them from considering an applicant's race, gender or ethnicity.

The university also said that about 100 privately funded scholarships designed to benefit women and minority students could be restricted.

"If this initiative is passed by Colorado voters, it would indeed have a big impact on the University of Colorado, as we would have to modify some of our admissions programs," spokeswoman Deborah Mendez-Wilson said at the time.

Jessica Peck Corry, executive director of the civil rights initiative, argues that passage of Amendment 46 should not cause minority and women enrollment to drop.

"What this initiative does is open the door to all Colorado students, regardless of race or gender," Corry said.

kimm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2361

• September 5, 2008

  3:26 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  solar_satellite writes:

  For some incomprehensible reason, it is just impossible for you to provide the text of this or any other proposed Amendment.

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