The Columbia University Daily Spectator had two interesting takes on affirmative action today. The headline of its article on the Supremes taking the Michigan AA cases was “Supreme Court Accepts Cases Against Bollinger,” because Bollinger, president of Columbia, was president of Michigan during the implementation of the affirmative action policies under review and the beginning of the lawsuits. Bollinger was quoted in the article saying that the Supremes’ decision to hear the cases “was what I expected and hoped for.”
Hoped for? Does that mean he disagreed with the current Michigan administration, since after he left the university opposed the Court’s granting certiorari? No, it seems they are glad, too. “Administrators Pleased With Court’s Decision,” ran the headline of an article in today’s Michigan Daily. Hmm. If the both the former president and the current admininstration are pleased the Supremes are hearing the case, who decided to oppose the Court’s granting cert? Could this be a case of lawyers run amok? Maybe it was the Dean of the Michigan law school, Jeffrey Lehman. According to another article in the Michigan Daily today, Lehman said
I think Bakke is pretty clear. One of the lessons from Bakke is that lawful forms of affirmative action are tailored to the contexts where they are being used.
Got that? Maybe he said they should oppose cert, and no one understood him.
Returning to Columbia, the Daily Spectator also reported today that, after nine straight defeats, Columbia has just fired its football coach, a 14-year veteran. Why is this relevant? Because of a comment by John Reeves, Columbia’s athletic director:
Dr. Reeves explained that an advisory committee will be set up to choose a new coach–adding that a decision won’t come for a minimum of 30 days because of affirmative action laws, unless Columbia hires a minority.
If the NCAA adopted a rule that the normal five yard penalty for off sides would be waived if the off sides player was a minority, everyone would be offended. Wouldn’t they?
