Century Foundation Releases Report on Race-Neutral Alternatives to Affirmative Action Policies

3/18/2003

From: Christy Hicks of the Century Foundation, 212-452-7723, e-mail: hicks@tcf.org http://www.tcf.org

News Advisory:

What: Should Race Count? A Policy Discussion on the Future of Affirmative Action

When: Monday, March 31 -- 8:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.

Where: The National Press Club, 529 14th St., NW

Participants: Anthony Carnevale, VP for Assessments, Equity and Careers, Educational Testing Service -- Christopher Edley, Director, Civil Rights Project, Harvard University -- Brian Jones, General Counsel, U.S. Department of Education -- Lani Guinier, Bennett Boskey Professor of Law, Harvard Law School -- Richard Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation

Moderator: Juan Williams, Senior Correspondent, National Public Radio

RSVP: Laurie Ahlrich, ahlrich@tcf.org or 212-452-7722

On the eve of the April 1st U.S. Supreme Court oral argument over affirmative action policies at the University of Michigan, The Century Foundation is sponsoring a discussion on the future of affirmative action. The centerpiece is a new report exploring the effects of race-neutral alternatives to affirmative action policies at the nation's most selective 146 colleges. What will happen to racial and economic diversity and student graduation rates if the Bush Administration prevails in the Supreme Court with its argument to curtail racial preferences? The study, conducted by Anthony Carnevale of the Educational Testing Service and Stephen Rose of Macro International, examines the impact of several alternatives, including a plan to provide preferences to qualified economically disadvantaged students of all races; and a class rank (percentage) plan to admit students with high grades, irrespective of test scores.

Portions of the study, Socioeconomic Status, Race/Ethnicity, and Selective College Admissions, will be available on The Century Foundation's website at http://www.tcf.org, or on The Century Foundation's Education website at http://www.equaleducation.org.

There will be additional press availability with individual panelists from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. Contact Christy Hicks at 212-452-7723 or hicks@tcf.org for more information and for copies of the report.

The Century Foundation is a research foundation that undertakes timely, critical, and analytical studies of major economic, political, and social institutions and issues. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, TCF was founded in 1919 and endowed by Edward A. Filene.