Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Joseph W. Watson and UC Student Regent Dexter Ligot-Gordon voiced strident opposition to the Classification of Race, Ethnicity and National Origin initiative in an open town hall meeting in the Student Leadership Chambers on Feb. 13.
The CRENO initiative, if passed, will amend California’s constitution to prohibit the “”inquiring, profiling or collecting”” of “”race, ethnicity, color or national origins … data on government forms.”” The initiative, which was introduced by UC Regent Ward Connerly, is slated to appear on the March 2, 2004, California primary election ballot.
“”[The CRENO initiative] does nothing to eliminate racial discrimination and racial disparity, and in fact it makes it difficult to address [this],”” Watson said. “”I think it’s a sort of policy proposal that says ‘racial discrimination is bad, [so] we won’t have any data about it.'””
Ligot-Gordon, a full-voting member of the UC Board of Regents, voiced concern that eliminating government collection of data would impair UC research.
“”Some people would argue that race, ethnicity and national origin [data] don’t matter, but in my opinion, they do,”” Ligot-Gordon said. “”As a university … we use a lot of this information for the academic research we do. That is what I fear would be in danger if the initiative passes.””
Some on campus feel that, if passed, the CRENO initiative would bring the state one step closer to a “”colorblind society,”” and would eliminate efforts to maintain “”backdoor affirmative action”” on college campuses.
“”The initiative is exactly what people have been striving for for years,”” said Freedom Alliance Chair Robert Forouzandeh. “”If passed, society will have the opportunity to judge people based on merit and personality rather than skin color.””
Phone calls placed to Connerly and the American Civil Rights Coalition, which authored the initiative, were not returned by press time.
Both Watson and Ligot-Gordon criticized the initiative’s backers and questioned their motives.
“”I think CRENO represents the view that [race] is an acceptable type of … disparity,”” Watson said. “”No matter what may be said by individuals who advance these policies, it is not to make a more equitable society. These policies are . . . designed to preserve current racial [and] ethnic disparities.””
Ligot-Gordon saw a paradox between Connerly’s post as a Regent and his support of CRENO.
“”I think that it’s very ironic that a Regent of a research university would support and push an initiative that . . . uniforms people [and] prevents them from having information,”” Ligot-Gordon said.
Ligot-Gordon also asserted that information on race, ethnicity and national origin is needed for the state to respond to demographic shifts and changes in constituent needs, and is necessary in devising immigration laws that decide “”how many people from what country come in and the socioeconomic circumstances under which they can enter.””
Ligot-Gordon expressed the specific concern that there has been too little student debate regarding the initiative.
“”Where are the students? [Students] are not making it an issue,”” Ligot-Gordon said. “”No matter how controversial, no matter how contentious, [student dialogue] needs to happen.””
Watson reported that vice chancellors of Student Affairs from other UC campuses are also in opposition to the initiative.
“”The vice chancellors of Student Affairs in the [UC] system have written to the president of the university advocating a university stance against [CRENO],”” Watson said. “”We think it’s the type of proposal that would generate more tensions in society because we know there are racial disparities; we know there are ethnic disparities.””
Watson also expressed concern that if state agencies were banned from collecting such data, interest groups “”advocating on [their] own behalf”” would be the sole source of such information.
When asked by an audience member if he was willing to appear at a future student rally opposing the CRENO initiative, Watson declined, stating that, given his position, he should not associate himself with “”one side or another side . . . in a public display.””
Graduate Student Association President Tom Fleming and Staff Association Chair Patty Arnett, who were also featured at the meeting, stressed the importance of racial and ethnic diversity among faculty and graduate students, but did not address the CRENO initiative.
A.S. President Jenn Brown, who was also featured, did not address the issue. The A.S. Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing the initiative on Jan. 22.
