University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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A family of alumni and life-long Wolverine fans watch the football game together. Through Fathom.com, the University hoped to allow the alumni and others to experience the University through academics and not just football. S. Thomas photo ' WE WANT TO CONTINUE OUR CONNECTION WITH ALUMNI THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. ' HZ Micmci ANENSIAN

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ncerrain victory AFFIRMATIVE ACTION RULING MET WITH INCREASED DETERMINATION May 14, 2002 marked a very important date in civil rights history. On that date the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio ruled to uphold the University of Michigan ' s tradi- tion of using race as a factor in the admis- sions process. Grutter vs. Bollinger was one of only three cases since 1978 in which a federal Circuit Court ruled in support of Affirmative Action, and very well may become the first case of its kind ever heard in the Supreme Court. The conflict all started October 17, 1997, when students Jennifer Gatz and Patrick Hammacher sued the University regarding its admissions policy. Both stu- dents excelled academically in high school, yet were waitlisted and eventually rejected for admission into the school of LSA. In December of 1997, Barbara Grutter, who was waitlisted and then rejected by the Law school in 1997, also sued the University. These highly controversial cases gained momentum over the next few years. Student group BAMN, The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action and Integration and Fight for Equality By All Means Neces- sary, became more and more involved with the issue as the years passed. When Presi- dent Lee Bellinger ' s plea for the admissions process ' constitutionality was rejected, BAMN decided to take action. In January, 2000, BAMN put on a trial in Detroit. The group gathered its own witnesses, who together presented evidence for the bias in today ' s academic system and the need for and efficacy of affirmative action. It was a unique opportunity, arous- ing new interest and debate among both the student group and the plaintiffs in both pending cases. This was our generation ' s opportunity to put racism and inequality on trial and ask once again if it is unconstitu- tional to combat it with the admissions pro- cess, said BAMN activist Agnes Aleboua. Over the next few months, various companies, including GM, Intel, Micro- soft, and others filed briefs in favor of the University ' s policies. Representatives from each were in agreement that revoking such an admissions process would deny busi- nesses well-qualified minorities and reduce campus diversity. On December 13, 2000, Judge Patrick Duggan ruled in favor of the Uni- versity ' s undergraduate admission policies. However, the battle over the Law school ' s rejection of Barbara Grutter and others was just beginning. The Center for Individual Rights (CIR), which had also represented Jennifer Gatz, began its trial against the Law school on January 16, 2001. Two subsequent rul- ings later, the University ' s case looked dismal. On March 27, 2001, Judge Fried- man rejected the school ' s argument that its discrimination against white and Asian students is justified in order to attain diver- sity, and also rejected student intervenors ' claim that the admissions process is justi- fied to remedy past societal discrimination against minorities. The group responded with vigilance and determination, hold- ing a 3000 person demonstration on the University ' s Diag two days after the deci- sion was announced. On December 6, 2001, the plain- tiffs appealed the c ase at the 6th Circuit court in Cincinnati, Ohio. BAMN activ- ists and hundreds of supporters arrived on scene, filling the entire courtroom and two overflow rooms. The group also brought a 60,000 signature petition to substantiate their backing. The hearing was a success, and the date of the trial was set for January 16, 2001. On the court date the plaintiffs arrived greatly outnumbered. Barbara Grutter, who never actually testified, was joined only by representatives from CIR; the defendants, however, included President Lee Bollinger, UM Law profes- sor Richard Lempert, a University statisti- cian, and fifteen student intervenors from BAMN, United for Equality and Affirma- tive Action (UEAA), and Law Students for Affirmative Action (LSAA). Each group was allowed 30 hours to present their case, but in the fifteen day, month-long trial only the student intervenors used all their allot- ted time. On Friday, May 31, 2002, BAMN held its third National Conference on the Michigan campus, drawing thousands from states across the country. Its objectives were to celebrate the ruling, to begin the collec- tion of one million signatures in defense of affirmative action, and to organize a rally on the steps of the White House if the Supreme Court accepted CIR ' s appeal. Grutter vs. Bollinger was already a landmark case in many ways. It was the first case ever in which student intervenors put on a full case at trial. It was also the most highly debated and discussed trial since the Bakke decision in 1978, upon which the University ' s current admissions policies are based. BY KARA DEBOER ACADEMICS 81

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earning THE UNIVERSITY CONNECTS TO THE WORLD THROUGH FATHOM. COM Always on the cutting edge of technology, the University introduced an exciting new precedent in 2002 that may pave the way toward future learning processes: a totally online course offering. Fathom.com hosted English professor Ralph Williams ' facilitation of the University ' s first-ever ' e-course, ' entitled The Shakespeare You Never Knew: The First History Plays. The course examined three Henry VI plays as well as Richard III. It drew inspiration from the Royal Shakespeare Company ' s 2001 appearances in Ann Arbor. Not only did I get to read Ralph Williams ' thoughts on the connections between the words ' God ' and ' dog ' in the history plays, but I also got to watch video interviews with RSC actors and staff, attested third-year history student Megan Marod. Quickly, a second e-course was constructed for the winter term of 2002. A conglomerate of professors united to teach Daily Life in the Eastern Roman Empire: Trade, Travel and Transformation. Susan Alcock, David Potter, and Sharon Herbert, from the classical studies department, and Terry Wilfong from the near eastern studies department collaborated to compile the information. While this idea was certainly trendy, students reading the fine print soon discovered that these courses generated no applicable credit to a degree. In fact, the primary audience was not necessarily the students. We want to continue our connection with alumni throughout their lives, explained associate provost for technology affairs James L. Hilton. For the modest fee of $45, students and alumni alike had the opportunity to observe some fascinating interpretations from the University ' s top authorities in the fields. Fathom.com boasted the authentication of its information as especially appealing; other contributions to the site came from Columbia University, the Cambridge University Press, the London School of Economics and Political Science, the British Library, the New York Public Library, and the University of Chicago, among an ever-growing list. Information was sorted both by subject and by contributing institution. Plenty of free knowledge was offered in addition to these e-courses, which were self-paced and could be completed in less than four weeks. From cultural anthropology to a virtual football trainer, the University ' s provision of online information succeeded in its intention: to keep both students and alumni mentally stimulated. The Fathom.com venture was an inclusive, bold new way for the University to pursue spreading its wealth of knowledge. BY ERIC RAJALA FATHOM tlu Uf iiia laiilBg ACADEMICS 83