Richard Atkinson, president of the University of California, has
recommended the UC Board of Regents vote to formerly oppose a
ballot initiative sponsored by one of its board members.
At Thursday’s meeting in San Francisco, the regents are
scheduled to decide whether to take a stand against the
Classification by Race, Ethnicity, Color and National Origin
initiative, backed by regent Ward Connerly.
CRECNO was originally named the Racial Privacy Initiative, but
altered its name when it officially became a ballot item.
The ballot proposition is scheduled for the March 2004 statewide
general election. If passed, it would prohibit the state from
collecting racial information in most policy areas. Healthcare and
law enforcement are the main exceptions.
The UC Office of the President forwarded its recommendation to
the board, following a study conducted by UC General Counsel James
Holst’s office.
In a letter to the regents, Holst wrote CRECNO’s full
effect on the university is difficult to predict because existing
case law makes it difficult to know in advance how the courts will
interpret the measure if it becomes law.
Holst wrote there could be “significant impacts” on
faculty that use racial data provided by state agencies in
research.
The UC Academic Senate is also opposing CRECNO. Faculty share
concerns about research, and the body’s chair said the senate
is generally opposed to any law that could prevent access to
information.
“We should never say that public policy should not know
data and knowledge and analyze it,” said Academic Senate
Chairwoman Gayle Binion.
Researchers, she said, could not afford to independently collect
racial information presently gathered by California agencies.
Although CRECNO’s ultimate electoral fate is hard to
predict, the proposition’s backers expect the regents will
follow Atkinson’s lead and decide to oppose the measure.
“We have no illusions about that,” said Diane
Schachterle, campaign coordinator for CRECNO, adding she expects
Californians will not base their votes on the regents’
position.
“Ultimately I think that Californians will make an
individual choice,” she said.
Student regent Dexter Ligot-Gordon, who opposes CRECNO, has
wanted the board to consider the measure since summer.
He said the UC’s decision will be important at the ballot
box, as voters should be aware of how the initiative will impact
the university and other state agencies.
“If they’re going to make an informed decision when
they go to the polls, they need to hear how the services that serve
them are going to be affected,” he said.
In 1995, the regents approved Connerly’s idea to eliminate
the consideration of race in UC policy by passing SP-1 and 2, which
prohibited the university from considering race in UC admissions,
hiring and contracting.
The regents made their decision despite the objections of all
campus chancellors and then-President Jack Peltason, who favored
the continuation of affirmative action at the UC.