Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Plantiffs in Affirmative Action Case Demand Compensation

5. October 2004 • Ari Paul
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The planitiffs in the case against the University of Michigan due to its admissions policies are now demanding that the University pay their legal fees, according to The Michigan Daily.

The Daily reports:

In a plaintiff’s motion, lawyers for Jennifer Gratz and Patrick Hamacher — who sued the University after being rejected from the College of Literature, Science and Arts — are asking for $2.1 million, which would cover the $1.74 million in legal fees and $334,000 in other costs they say have amassed since the lawsuit was filed in October 1997.

But, “University lawyers and officials said the requests are unreasonably high.”



  1. Turn about it fair play. The plaintiffs in this case probably have fairly substantial legal bills. We probably won’t have to pay for the law school trial (after all it is the Michigan Law School). But we need to accept the fact that we lost the undergraduate case, and refocus our energy to promote other forms of equality. The daily had a great article today that only scratched the surface of the economic disparity that exists between University students. It would be great if we could tailor the admissions process to attract and admit more poor and lower middle class students. Furthermore we have a great business school, why don’t we have a working endowment that is paying for less fortunate students to attend the University? We really could improve at attracting the best students in the nation, and not just kinda-bright rich kids. Harvard has just such an endowment/policy and it helps to secure their place as one of this nations best universities.
       —Kat    Oct. 6 '04 - 02:20AM    #
  2. Kat- I’m kinda with you. The only comment I would make is that we all know that the undergrad point system was lost, but the use of race was not. Thus concentrating on this needed equality is still a pressing matter. I am also for expanded consideration of factors in admission and support, just not to the exclusion of other (e.g. race). I think the endowment would also be a great idea, though I have little working knowledge of the origin’s of Harvard’s and its workings.
       —dumi    Oct. 6 '04 - 02:28AM    #