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PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Office of Communications
Stanhope Hall
Princeton, New Jersey 08544-5264
Telephone 609-258-3601; Fax 609-258-1301Contact: Anthony Taylor 609/258-7291
March 31, 1998
Princeton Students to Speak Out on National Day of Affirmative Action
Princeton, N.J. -- Princeton students will be among thousands across the country taking part in tomorrow’s Nationwide Day of Action, which aims to stir discussion about affirmative action and campus diversity. A "Speak Out" rally will be held April 1 from noon to 1 p.m. on Firestone Plaza. At least 50 universities have scheduled simultaneous demonstrations.
Princeton’s rally will have an "open mike" format. Several University professors and administrators are scheduled to appear, including President Harold T. Shapiro, Associate Provost Joann Mitchell, Associate Professor of Sociology Miguel Centeno, Professor of English Claudia Tate, Senior Lecturer in Economics Elizabeth Bogan, and Director of the Third World Center Heddye Ducree. The event has been organized by the Third World Center.
The Nationwide Day of Action is a student-initiated campaign to defend affirmative action programs in admissions and hiring. The effort is designed to counter the stereotype that students of this generation are apathetic.
Students will discuss legislation being considered by the New York State Legislature that would dismantle affirmative action in public employment, education and contracting. Students will also address initiatives pending in the U.S. Congress that would deny federal funding to any public or private institution of higher education that uses affirmative action in admissions or hiring.
In California and Texas, where court action and ballot measures have barred the use of affirmative action in admissions, enrollment of minority students has dropped dramatically. Although the overall number of applications reached historic highs, the numbers of African-American students admitted declined by 45 percent at the University of California at San Diego and by 35 percent at U.C. Davis. Admission of Latino students dropped 31 percent at the San Diego campus and 20 percent at Davis.
"Our hope is to bring together the campus community both to discuss the pressing topic of affirmative action and to demonstrate the power that our generation holds in unity," said Anthony Taylor, a first-year student at Princeton.
The Nationwide Day of Action precedes President Clinton’s anticipated visit to colleges during the week of April 6 to foster continued discussions on race relations.