National Jurist - January 2009 - (Page 22)

Arizona law schools accused of being biased The University of Arizona and Arizona State law schools denounce charges n anti-Affirmative Action think is so severe that they are not only political- of Law at the University of Arizona, said tank says two of Arizona’s law ly vulnerable but legally vulnerable,” said her school looks at each student individuschools have discriminated against Clegg, who added that the Center plans ally, considers their strengths and studies Caucasian and Asian students in on putting together reports on law schools their entire application file in the context their admissions processes — in Oklahoma and Missouri. of all those who applied that year. accusations both schools say are Dean Paul Schiff Berman of the Sandra She noted that about 40 percent of the unfair and inaccurate. Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona law school’s admissions offers come from a The Center for Equal Opportunity State University said the report in Church Falls, Va., made had no support for its By Karen Dybis its claims in two separate claims. reports issued in October. “In order to advance a The Center said it found “severe discrimi- transparent political and nation” based on race and ethnicity at the highly partisan agenda, University of Arizona and Arizona State the report repeatedly University. Center Director Linda “In order to advance a transparent Chavez said the odds favorpolitical and highly partisan agenda, ing African American students over white stuthe report repeatedly plays fast and dents were 250 to 1 at the loose with the numbers and distorts the University of Arizona, and 1,115 to 1 at Arizona State. statistics to make completely specious “As a result, nearly a claims about our admissions process.” thousand white students during the years we stud— Dean Paul Schiff Berman, Sandra Day O’Connor ied were denied admisCollege of Law at Arizona State University sion even though they had higher undergraduate GPAs and LSATs than the average African American student who was plays fast and loose with admitted — and over a hundred Asian and the numbers and distorts Latino students were in the same boat with the statistics to make comthem,” Chavez said. pletely specious claims about Both Arizona law schools noted that the our admissions process,” Schiff Center timed the reports’ release around a Berman said. review of a student’s undergraduate perforcontroversial ballot issue that hoped to ban “In 2008, 27 percent of our white mance, LSAT score and other information the use of race-conscious admissions poli- applicants and 29 percent of our black from the application review. cies. The issue never made it before voters applicants were offered admission. In Holpert also said that the Center’s because organizers could not get enough short, without the fuzzy math and the report focused mostly on the Africansignatures. Moreover, the Center is known games, the odds of a black applicant gain- American applicant pool, which is a tiny for issuing these kinds of reports and has a ing admission to our law school were near- percentage of the school’s total applicants. history of timing them to political events. ly identical to those of a white applicant,” Of almost 2,500 total applicants in 2006, Still, Center President Roger Clegg said he said. “The statistics from 2006 and 15 African-American students were admithe hopes the reports encourage the law 2007 are similar. This is hardly the kind ted. schools to change their policies or face of gross disparity suggested by the report’s “Arizona Law is committed to providfurther criticism. He also said the Center hypothetical models.” ing all applicants a detailed, thoughtful hopes the ballot issue will be revisited. Terry Sue Holpert, Assistant Dean for review of all aspects of their admissions “Discrimination in Arizona’s law schools Admission at the James E. Rogers College materials,” Holpert said. 22 THE NATIONAL JURIST January 2009

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of National Jurist - January 2009

National Jurist - January 2009 Contents Hot Button: Affirmative Action Entertainment: A Road Trip Through Law School News: American Justice, Kaplan Survey, Part-time Ranking The Firm Report: Diversity Law School Online No label No label Fordham Student Honored for Public Interest Work Former Law Student's Life Lives on After Her Death Most Influential People in Legal Education Most Innovative Law Schools Your Guide to Studying Abroad Career Hotline Texas Tech Law Grads Explore Dispute Resolution Evaluating First-Year Exams Disturbing the Peace

National Jurist - January 2009

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