EVAN CARAVELLI/Arizona Daily Wildcat Kay Kavanagh, associate dean for academic affairs of the James E. Rogers College of Law, was part of a diverse audience attending the "Affirmative Action in Education 2004" forum last night. The forum addressed issues of affirmative action in college admissions and featured two guest speakers from the University of Michigan.

Law school students and faculty discussed the hot topic of affirmative action last night, examining the complexities of giving students equal opportunities.

The discussion, hosted by the James E. Rogers College of Law, was part of a series of events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling on Brown v. Board of Education. The landmark decision ruled race-based segregation in public schools unconstitutional and paved the way for affirmative action policies.

About 60 people, mostly students, former students and faculty at the law school, attended the event.

Carol Shegog Parker, a second-year law student, and panelists talked about the importance of affirmative action. Parker is the president of the Black Law Students Association, an organization that supports black students in the law school.

She said the possibility of graduating and being the only black person in a law firm is very likely, so developing support is important.

During Parker's presentation, she drew a line between policies of affirmative action and reverse discrimination.

"Affirmative action is bringing people in," she said. "Reverse discrimination is excluding people."

Patricia Ann Green, a graduate of the law college, said she was the first black female to be a shareholder in a Tucson law firm.

Green said she probably benefited from affirmative action as a student.

"It gives minority students what they need: a foot in the door," she said.

Green was the only panelist to criticize the law school, saying she is concerned about the number of minorities in the school. She challenged them to recruit more minorities.

The panelists also addressed how people perceive minorities, after an audience member asked if affirmative action could give minorities a free ride they may not deserve.

"The focus of affirmative action is to give an opportunity for equal access," Parker said. "But equal access does not equal a free ride."

"You have to be confident and be a step above the game," she said.

Obinna Ogbunamiri, a first-year law student, said he shares that feeling.

Affirmative action is a subject people don't want to touch, Ogbunamiri said.

"You wonder as an African-American student if people think I'm here based on affirmative action," he said. "It's kind of bothersome."

He said diversity in school is important because it brings people with different perspectives and backgrounds together.

He said the law school has done a good job proactively promoting diversity and supporting student clubs for minorities.

With affirmative action and increased diversity, Ogbunamiri said he is optimistic.

"Society is changing and getting better," he said.