Commerce student passes away Friday
Fourth-year Commerce student Ryan Crookston passed away last Friday, Jan. 24, according a statement released by Commerce Dean Carl Zeitham. Zeitham circulated the news to Commerce students, faculty and staff on Sunday via e-mail.
Crookston, who was concentrating in information technology, transferred to the Commerce school from Piedmont Virginia Community College. He was a graduate of Albemarle High School.
Rebecca Leonard, assistant dean for student services, expressed sorrow over the loss and sympathy for Crookston's family.
"We are certainly all saddened by the death because we are a small community," she said. "We want to support the family as much as we can."
Harvard to support University of Michigan admissions policy
Harvard University will file a brief with the Supreme Court by Feb. 18 in defense of the contested University of Michigan policy that includes race as an admissions criterion.
Harvard is the first major university to oppose the Bush administration's stance on affirmative action before the Supreme Court.
President Bush challenged Michigan's policy in a brief filed by the Justice Department Jan.23.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, the highest-ranking black official in the Bush administration, also has voiced his support for Michigan's policy.
The case against Michigan focuses on their points-based admissions process, which assigns numerical values to applicants based on measures that include grade point average, SAT scores and race.
Plaintiffs allege that the inclusion of race as an admissions criterion led to their denial of admission in favor of less qualified students.
While most selective private universities, such as Harvard, do not employ a point system in admissions decisions, many do consider race as one factor.
Despite their status as private universities, schools such as Harvard accept some public funds. Therefore, a Supreme Court ruling against Michigan would potentially impact admissions policies at private as well as public colleges and universities.
The Supreme Court is expected to begin hearing oral arguments for the Michigan case in March or April and the case is expected to be concluded in June.
-- Compiled by Mary
Pumphrey
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