Voters will not only choose the next president on Tuesday, but in many states they will also cast ballots affecting higher colleges and universities across the country.
The two measures getting the most attention are proposed affirmative action bans in Nebraska and Colorado. If passed, they would prohibit public colleges and universities from offering scholarships and programs to minorities and women.
Both bans come from California businessman Ward Connerly, whose organization successfully passed affirmative action bans in California in 1996, Washington in 1998 and Michigan in 2006.
Connerly, who is Black, says he thinks affirmative action is an outdated system that reinforces the perception minorities are second-class citizens who need help to succeed. His fight against affirmative action started when he became convinced schools were admitting less qualified minority applicants over more qualified Whites.
Affirmative action is an antiquated system that, rather than helping minorities, reinforces the perception they are second-class citizens who need help to succeed, Connerly told The Associated Press last month.
Opponents of the measures argue the bans would eliminate programs essential to giving equal opportunity to historically disadvantaged groups like women and minorities. If passed, it would become illegal for Nebraska and Colorado state universities and colleges to continue recruitment and awarding scholarships based on gender, ethnicity and race.
The bans would also prohibit pubic institutions in those states from taking these factors into consideration when hiring employees or contractors.
