2000
Many Circuit Courts throughout the country heard
cases regarding affirmative action in higher
education, including the 5th Circuit in Texas
(Hopwood), the 6th Circuit in Michigan (Grutter and
Gratz), the 9th Circuit in Washington (Smith), and
the 11th Circuit in Georgia (Johnson). The same
district Court in Michigan made two different
rulings regarding affirmative action in Michigan,
with one judge deciding that the undergraduate
program was constitutional while another judge found
the law school program unconstitutional.
2000
The Florida legislature passed "One Florida" Plan,
banning affirmative action. The program also
included the Talented 20 Percent Plan that
guarantees the top 20 percent admission to the
University of Florida system.
2000
In an effort to promote equal pay, the US Department
of Labor promulgated new affirmative action
regulations including an Equal opportunity Survey,
which requires federal contractors to report hiring,
termination, promotions and compensation data by
minority status and gender. This is the first time
in history that employers have been required to
report information regarding compensation by gender
and minority status to the federal equal employment
agencies.
2001
In Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Mineta, 534 U.S.
103 (2001) the Supreme Court dismissed the case as
"improvidently granted," thereby leaving undisturbed
the 10th Circuit's decision, which upheld the
government's revised federal contracting program.
2001
California enacted a new plan allowing the top 12.5
percent of high school student's admission to the UC
system, either for all four years or after two years
outside the system, and guaranteeing the top 4
percent of all high school seniors' admission into
the UC system.
2002
The Sixth Circuit handed down its decision in
grutter v. Bollinger, 288 F.3d 732 (6th Cir. 2002)
on May 14, 2002, and upheld as constitutional the
use of race as one of many factors in making
admissions decisions at the University of Michigan's
Law School. A decision in the companion case
involving the Undergraduate school at the University
of Michigan, Gratz v. Bollinger, is imminent.