National author to discuss affirmative action today

Tim Wise

UNMC employees are invited to attend a seminar today that will feature comments from national speaker and author, Tim Wise, about affirmative action and the move to ban it some states, including Nebraska.

Affirmative action is designed to open the doors of opportunity for women and minorities in public contracting, public employment and public education.

Nebraska is one of five states — including Arizona, Colorado, Missouri and Oklahoma — that could have a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to ban affirmative action.

Wise will speak at 5 p.m. at the V.J. and Angela Skutt Student Center in the Mutual of Omaha Ballroom and discuss the impact similar anti-affirmative action initiatives have had in other states. Wise’s seminar is sponsored by Creighton University and free and open to the public.

Representatives from UNMC, College of St. Mary, Creighton, Metro Community College and the University of Nebraska at Omaha and have joined together to educate the community about the potential impact an affirmative ban would have on higher education institutions.

Creighton University law professor, R. Collin Mangrum, also will talk during today’s seminar and provide insight on the Nebraska constitutional issues.