Ward Connerly, leader of the American Civil Rights Institute, addressed college students Apr. 25 at Carleton Concert Hall on the controversial issue of California Proposition 209.

The debate on racial equality continues to play a role on college campuses across the nation. The widely debated Proposition 209 adds a new focus to this conversation. It says: "The State shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group, on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting." Proposition 209 eliminates race-based affirmative action and reverse discrimination within state government institutions.

Working in California schools such as University of California Berkeley, Connerly eliminated "diversity standards" in college admission requirements. Since the civil rights movement, more and more colleges have been admitting students to fulfill a campus diversity requirement. Connerly abolished that standard because he said simply, "Race is not a factor. We should never use skin color as a basis for defining someone." To create a more equally competitive environment, he is fighting for similar propositions in other states and on other college campuses to rid admission surveys of "ethnic boxes." This will, he said, establish more racial privacy.

Connerly's presentation of ideas concerning Proposition 209 opened the floor for interactive discussion with over 200 concerned students. He believes that "respectful open-minded dialogue at college campuses keeps the door open for interaction with one another."

Many students at the presentation thought that the removal of race when applying to college leading in the wrong direction. Some were afraid of discrimination after being admitted to a higher learning institution if their ethnicity was kept a secret in the selection process. To this Connerly replied, "We are no longer fearing discrimination, we are fearing the elimination of competition because of benefits to racial minorities." He believes diversity without integration is not, in fact, diversity at all.

Connerly understands the difficulties he is up against. Universities are hard to change and his reputation is suffering from fighting so firmly on this issue. However, Connerly has seen lives benefit by this proposition and feels change at the college level is the only way to educate people of this problem and find a solution.

With a clear and well-structured argument, Connerly continues to combat racial affirmative action by speaking publicly to colleges nation-wide. When does it end? To this he answered, "The end of the game for me is a state government who is colorblind, not one who color-coats its citizens."