In Washington state, where voters banned affirmative action nearly a decade ago, school officials say scholarships have not been impacted. California also banned affirmative action, and the state’s guidelines don’t allow preferential scholarships.
A year ago, Wayne State University Law School Dean Frank Wu began working with the school’s admissions committee to analyze alternatives in case Proposal 2 passed. Wu is the law school’s first minority dean and the first Asian American law school dean in the country. He is also a vocal advocate of affirmative action, saying it has helped his career.
The law school has a dozen scholarships that donors have requested be race- or gender-specific, including scholarships for White ethnic groups. The school is considering ways to help students while complying with Proposal 2. For example, instead of awarding a scholarship to the top Black first-year student, the school could instead award it to the top student in a recognized student group, like the Black Law Students Association. All student groups, regardless of their name or mission, must be open to everyone.
“There is still a Black/White gap. It’s not imaginary, it’s real,” Wu says. He has created a new position, director of student services and educational outreach, to, among other duties, help administer scholarship programs in light of diversity constraints.
“I’m always hopeful. [We’ll] do everything to ensure access to higher education,” he says. “We’re a law school.
We have to follow the law. We know we’re being watched.”
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