A special distinction, called the Rainbowmaker Award, was presented to General Motors Corporation in recognition of its corporate leadership in support of the University of Michigan Law School’s minority admissions policies.
Thomas Gottschalk, executive vice president of law and public policy, understands the importance of diversity. Like many firms and legal departments, General Motors’ ability to achieve its diversity objectives depends on having diverse law student bodies. However, several law schools admissions’ policies have been challenged and have had to defend their standards in court.
General Motors joined in the fight to retain pro-diversity admissions policies, and became a staunch supporter of the University of Michigan’s court battle by filing an amicusbrief on July 17, 2000. General Motors strongly believes that the future of American business and the American economy depends upon academic institutions’ freedom to select and train racially and ethnically diverse student bodies. General Motors’ dedication was rewarded on December 13, 2000, when United States District Court Judge Patrick Duggan of the Eastern District of Michigan ruled that “a racially and ethnically diverse student body produces significant educational benefits,” and “constitutes a compelling government interest.” The District Court ruled that the University of Michigan could properly consider race as a factor in student selection. This ruling is currently under appeal.
General Motors has not only proven its own commitment to diversity, but has also set a precedent for the entire legal profession.
Return to List of 2001 Award Winners
From the November/December 2003 issue of Diversity & The Bar®