MECHA prepares for next wave of affirmative action legislation

Brian Foster Arizona Daily Wildcat Chicano/Hispanic Student Affairs Assistant Dean Salomon R. Baldenegro addresses students last night in the Economics Building about affirmative action in Arizona. The UA does not currently use affirmative action in school admissions as it does with employment.

"Silence and not being involved is what gets these bills passed," said Claire Charlo, president of the Native American Law Students' Association. "The bill was voted down, but it's not dead."

Sen. Scott Bundgaard, R-Glendale, sponsored the resolution that would have eliminated preferences on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender or national origin in state-funded programs. The bill suffered an 11 to 19 defeat in the Senate Feb. 25.

The Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztl‡n packed three-dozen students in the Economics building for a forum on affirmative action. Hispanic Student Affairs Assistant Dean Salomon Baldenegro spent over an hour dispelling myths about affirmative action to representatives from the Native American and Asian Pacific American resource centers, the Young Libertarians, and Associated Students of the University of Arizona

"The University of Arizona does not have an affirmative action program for students," said Baldenergo "It is inexcusable when people in the faculty, staff, and administration do not know that."

He said the hazard of an anti-affirmative action bill is not the number of students the university would lose.

"The real danger is that the bill will create a terrible political climate."

UA matches scholarship contributions by the Hispanic Alumni Association- which would be reduced under the proposed legislation, dropping enrollment by about 60 students, he said.

"If they wiped out all affirmative action programs, we'd survive- we've survived all these years," Baldenegro said.

ASUA president-elect Tara Taylor said students need to maintain a positive focus when addressing the issue.

"We're all here because we care, and we need to focus on what's right," Taylor said

Bundgard has until June to gather 167,000 signatures for his next anti-preference proposal.

"This man can easily get it on the ballot," said Dennis Welch, a sociology senior and member of the Native American Resource Center.

Maria Rodriguez, a sociology junior, said MEChA would stage a walk-out this summer to refresh memories about the possible November legislation, resembling a similar 1995 demonstration supporting affirmative action.

"We hope to meet on a weekly basis to track affirmative action," said senior education major Rolene McMillan, a member of the Native American Resource Center.