Local NPR newscast informs that Attorney General Jim Petro refused to allow the Ohio State University Board of Regents to file an amicus curiae brief (friend of the court) in support of the University of Michigan's position in the two affirmative action cases in front of the US Supreme Court (Gratz v Bollinger, et al. and Grutter v Bollinger et al.) These cases, on appeal from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, challenge the University of Michigan's affirmative action policy. U of M's policy was carefully crafted to meet the requirements of the 1970's Bakke case and if the US Supreme Court rejects the U of M program, affirmative action will be dealt a major setback if not a death blow. The Dispatch carried a New York Times article on Tuesday (2/18) noting that 300 organizations have filed friend of the court briefs in support of the University of Michigan. (page A3)

I suggest we let Attorney General Petro know that he's out of step with thinking in Ohio. Send him an e-mail or make a phone calls protesting his decision. I have included the web addrss below which you can paste into your browser and will take you to his web site. Click on "send an inquiry to the Attorney General's office" The office phone number is 466-4320

www.ag.state.oh.us/contact/contact.htm
If you want more information on the Amicus Briefs, etc go to the University of Michigan web site. Here is their address. www.umich.edu/ace.html