Mich. Schools Won't See Delay in New Law

LANSING, Mich. -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected a bid to give three state universities more time to comply with parts of Michigan's new law banning some types of public affirmative action programs.

The University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Michigan State University say they are complying or attempting to comply with Proposal 2, which bans the use of race and gender preferences in university admissions and government hiring. The measure was approved by voters in November.

A pro-affirmative-action group, however, had sought to get the nation's highest court to reinstate an earlier deal that would have given the universities an extension related to their admissions and financial aid decisions for students entering school in the fall of 2007.

An order issued late last year by U.S. District Judge David Lawson would have given universities until July 1 to complete their current admissions and financial aid cycles using rules that existed when the cycle started, before Proposal 2 passed.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that order in late December. In a one-sentence order Friday, the high court declined to reverse the appellate court's decision.

The pro-affirmative-action group, By Any Means Necessary, is trying to get Proposal 2 overturned in federal court.