The Arizona Senate gave the final approval a proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would prohibit affirmative action programs run by the state. While race and gender are not considered in undergraduate admissions at Arizona’s Universities, law school admissions do and some legislators fear the amendment would jeopardize programs designed to assist under-represented students like the Women in Science and Education program. 

The proposed amendment has already been approved by the House and will be put up for a vote by on the 2010 ballot. The proposal targets any law, rule or regulation that gives minorities or women preference in public employment, contracting or education.  The proposed amendment would impact admissions to Arizona’s two publicly-funded law schools. Although courts have ruled against quotas in school admissions, jobs or contracts to minorities or women, some judges have upheld affirmative action programs designed to help underrepresented groups and have allowed contract bidding preferences if the government can show that women or minorities are not receiving a fair share of contracts.
 
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