On Tuesday, March 12, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, will join a panel of academic experts, practitioners and activists from across the nation for the Harvard Law School Journal on Legislation ‘s spring symposium on affirmative action in higher education. The symposium will debate the political, social and moral merits of affirmative action in higher education, its legal future in light of the constitutional challenge to the University of Michigan ‘s admissions program, and possible alternatives to race-based affirmative action. The symposium will begin at 12:45 p.m. in Langdell South at Harvard Law School, and is free and open to the public.

Conyers will headline the symposium ‘s opening panel, entitled “Constitutionality: From Bakke to Hopwood, Gratz and Beyond.” Joining Conyers on the panel will be Harvard Law School Professor Richard Parker; San Diego Law School Professor Gail Heriot; Howard Law School Professor Frank Wu; and Curt Levey of the Center for Individual Rights. The discussion will be moderated by Harvard Law School Professor Richard Fallon.

The symposium ‘s second panel, “Policy: The Merits of Race-Based Admissions and Its Alternatives,” will include University of Michigan Professor Carl Cohen; Richard Kahlenberg of the Century Foundation; University of Texas Professor David Montejano; Harvard Law School Professor Christopher Edley; and Professor Gary Orfield of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Harvard Law School Professor Elana Kagan will moderate the discussion.

Event sponsors include the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities; the American Association of Community Colleges; Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.; Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft; BAR/BRI; Lexis-Nexis; and the Harvard Law School Dean of Students Office.

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