University of California Student's Right to Identify

AMEA, MAVIN Foundation and Hapa Issues Forum (HIF), three leading mixed race advocacy organizations, have taken a stand against Regent Ward Connerlys proposal to add a multiracial/multiethnic category to University of California (UC) admissions forms. We feel that this proposal would reduce the accuracy of data collection on UC applicants, undermine federal reporting guidelines and threaten the effectiveness of civil rights research and enforcement. We are now asking for your help to ensure that Ward Connerly does not succeed in using the mixed race community to further his radical agenda.

Please support us by signing onto this petition. Your signature will show your support for the following letter that will be submitted to the University of California Regents.
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Dear University of California Regents,

We are writing to express our concern regarding Regent Connerlys proposal to add a multiracial/multiethnic category to University of California (UC) admissions applications.

Regent Connerlys proposal would significantly reduce the accuracy of data collection on UC applicants and undermine Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reporting guidelines that allow individuals to mark one or more racial boxes. Mixed race people represent a diverse cross section of cultural and ethnic heritages, with many multiracial individuals identifying with multiple communities. Limiting their choices to a generic multiracial/multiethnic category ignores this diversity and severely limits the ability of UC to gain a clear and detailed picture of its student population.

We support a mark one or more format that will allow multiracial students to embrace all aspects of their diverse backgrounds and provide UC with a much more accurate portrait of student diversity. We strongly urge you to reject Regent Connerlys proposal for a multiracial/multiethnic category and to support data collection, tabulation and reporting methods that are compliant with mark one or more federal guidelines.