Published: April 11, 1999

An all-day "Community Forum on Affirmative Action" will be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder on Friday, April 23, in the University Memorial Center.

The conference will feature panel discussions by ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder students, faculty and staff on topics including affirmative action research, policy formation, law and morality and the impact of affirmative action on ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder.

All events will be held in the UMC from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public. The conference is organized by the diversity council of the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder sociology department.

On April 22, the diversity council also will host a 7 p.m. keynote lecture at the University Club by John Fry, national affirmative action coordinator for the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education. Fry will speak on "Practical Methods of Affirmative Action."

"We hope to encourage more thoughtful discussion of affirmative action and more energetic activities and commitment to the achievement of diversity at ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ and elsewhere," said sociology Professor Thomas Mayer, chair of the diversity council. "We believe affirmative action is vital to the future of this university and education in general."

Conference events on April 23 at the UMC will include:

o Opening remarks, 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m., room 158

o Research ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Affirmative Action, 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., room 158.

o Formation of Affirmative Action Policy, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Forum Room.

o Impact of Affirmative Action on Individuals and Institutions, 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., Forum Room.

o Moral and Legal Aspects of Affirmative Action, 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., room 235.

o Closing remarks, 5:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., room 235

For more information call 303-492-2138.