Strategy Summit on Affirmative Action

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This event is open to the public, but requires registration. 

Please visit www.aapf.org to register.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STRATEGY SUMMIT:
Reclaiming the High Ground 50 Years after Brown


Agenda

MORNING, FRIDAY, APRIL 23rd

2. REACHING BEYOND THE GRUTTER PLATEAU
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.; Jerome Greene Hall, Room 103

Moderator:

  • Kendall Thomas - Professor of Law, Columbia Law School

Confirmed Panelists:

  • Devon Carbado - Professor of Law, UCLA
  • Sumi Cho - Professor of Law, Depaul University
  • Luke Charles Harris - Professor of Political Science at Vassar College and Program Director of the African American Policy Forum
  • Nicholas Lemann - Dean, Columbia Journalism School
  • Jon Wainright - Senior Consultant, National Economic Research Associates

This panel will critically consider the research that was marshaled to support the University of Michigan's Affirmative Action Programs in the Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger Supreme Court cases as well as ongoing research on the continuing relevance of affirmative action.  Panelists will discuss their research in light of the Court's decision and suggest strategies  to use existing social-scientific, legal and historical research to deepen our understanding of affirmative action and to shore up its constitutional foundations.  Among the topics discussed will be research revealing ongoing patterns of discrimination and exclusion and arguments that broaden the diversity rationale for affirmative action. The scope of the discussion will include higher education, employment, and other arenas.

 

3. TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON: WEATHERING THE PERFECT STORM
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.; Jerome Greene Hall, Room 103

Moderator:

  • TBA

Confirmed Panelists:

  • Ellen Buchman - Field Director, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund
  • Lia Epperson - Senior Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
  • Janine Jackson - Program Director, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
  • Marianne Lado - General Council, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
  • Celinda Lake - President, Lake, Snell, Perry, and Associates
  • Portia Pedro - United States Student Association


This panel will take stock of oncoming challenges to affirmative action that have gathered in the year since the Grutter decision was issued and will address the need to strengthen strategic alliances and to develop supporting structures designed to replicate and expand the winning coalition that successfully beat back the Grutter challenge.

Among the challenges to be addressed are the anti-affirmative action movements in Michigan and Colorado as well as certain Federal policies; the continuing challenges to race-conscious admissions and the differing responses of various schools and institutions; race-exclusive ancillary programs, including minority scholarships and enrichment programs; and the need to mobilize broader constituencies through better communications strategies and organizational efforts in the defense of affirmative action at both the state and the national level.


AFTERNOON, FRIDAY, APRIL 23RD

4. WORKING GROUPS
2:00 -3:45 p.m., Jerome Greene Hall, Room TBA

A) Building an Affirmative Action Communications Strategy

Facilitators:

  • George Curry - Editor-in-Chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association Service
  • Walter Fields- Publisher, The Northstar Network 
  • Gwen McKinney- McKinney and Associates
  • Tim Wise - Author and Director, Association for White Anti-Racist Education

B) Developing an Affirmative Action Research Agenda:

  • Cheryl Harris - Professor of Law, UCLA Law School
  • Susan Sturm- Professor of Law, Columbia Law School


C) Tilling Legal Ground and Assessing Legal Strategies 

  • Barbara Arnwine - Executive Director, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
  • Kendall Thomas - Professor of Law, Columbia Law School

D) Strategies for Educating Voters in the Political Arena

  • Ellen Buchman - Field Director, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund
  • Trisha Stein - CFUM Campaign Manager

E) Affirmative Action in Higher Education:

  • Lia Epperson - Senior Counsel, Legal Defense and Educational Fund

F) Uncivil Rights: Surviving the University Diversity Wars: Student Workshop

  • Nick Centino - United States Student Association
  • Jackie Bray - Students Supporting Affirmative Action, University of Michigan
  • Portia Pedro - United States Student Association
  • David Johns - Student, Columbia University

G) Beyond Affirmative Action Babies: Ten Myths that Every Beneficiary
Should Reject

  • Luke Harris - Professor of Political Science, Vassar College
  • Monique Luse - Students Supporting Affirmative Action, University of Michigan

H) What Will Be Left After 25 Years of No Child Left Behind?                       

  • Marianne Lado - General Council, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

 


5.  DISCERNING A PATH TO REAL EQUALITY: THE PLENARY SESSION
4:15-6:15 p.m., Jerome Greene Hall, Room 103 or 106

Moderator:

  • Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw -Professor of Law, Columbia Law School and Executive Director of the African American Policy Forum

Confirmed Panelists:

  • Derrick Bell- Professor of Law, New York University
  • Mary Frances Berry- Chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
  • Lee Bollinger- President, Columbia University
  • George Curry - Editor-in-Chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association Service
  • Eric Foner - Professor of History, Columbia University
  • Karen Narasaki- Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium
  • Cesar A. Perales - President and General Counsel, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Educational Fund
  • Ted Shaw- NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
  • Tim Wise - Author and Director of the Association for White Anti-Racist Education

The final plenary will address the implications of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's observation that affirmative action may not be needed twenty-five years from now. Among the questions to be addressed are: What needs to be done to make affirmative action obsolete in 25 years in higher education, elementary/secondary education, employment, and contracting? What are the implications for standardized testing? How do we recapture the message in defense of affirmative action as we prepare for the future?

This plenary session of civil rights advocates, legal scholars, higher education representatives, military leaders, foundation executives, communications specialists and corporate representatives will provide an open discussion on ways to strengthen the alliance of support for affirmative action.  After initial dialogue, this session will open to the floor for members of the public to ask questions.

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