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Arizona State University: Racial Restrictions on Class Enrollment (2005)

After FIRE was notified of advertised racial restrictions on enrollment in a course on Navajo history, Arizona State University declared that two English classes listed on its website as "for Native Americans only" would be open to all students. While the university insisted that this declaration reflected a "long-standing practice" of enrolling students in the classes regardless of race, FIRE uncovered evidence showing the classes were racially segregated for at least eight years.

Case Materials

• "Arizona State Disavows Racial Segregation in English Classes," October 10, 2005: In response to pressure from FIRE, Arizona State University has declared that two English classes listed on its website as “for Native Americans only” are open to all students. While the university insists that this reflects a “long-standing practice” of enrolling students in the classes regardless of race, FIRE has uncovered evidence showing the classes were racially segregated for at least eight years.
• "Letter from Arizona State University Provost Milton D. Glick to FIRE, September 29, 2005," October 6, 2005
• "Arizona State University English Education Native Images Webpage," October 6, 2005
• "Arizona State University - Labriola Center Newsletter, Summer 1997," October 6, 2005
• "Arizona State University - 2001 Webpage Listing Segregated English 101, 102 Class," October 6, 2005
• "Arizona State University - 2002 Webpage Listing Segregated English 101, 102 Class," October 6, 2005
• "Arizona State University - 2003 Webpage Listing Segregated English 101, 102 Class," October 6, 2005
• "Arizona State University - 2004 Webpage Listing Segregated English 101, 102 Class," October 6, 2005
• "Racial Segregation Lives On at Arizona State University," October 5, 2005: State-sponsored racial segregation has found a home at Arizona State University (ASU).  ASU’s ironically named “Rainbow Sections” of English 101 and 102 have been advertised on flyers and on the university’s website as being open to “Native Americans only.” Shockingly, this marks the second time in less than four years that FIRE has been forced to protest a racially segregated course at ASU.
• "Arizona State University Professor G. Lynn Nelson Faculty Webpage," October 5, 2005
• "Arizona State University Flyer Advertising Rainbow Sections of English Classes," October 5, 2005
• "FIRE Letter to Arizona State University President Michael Crow, September 23, 2005," September 23, 2005

Blog Entries

• "Arizona State Claims Segregation Never Happened—But Evidence Says Differently," by Robert Shibley, October 6, 2005
• "Arizona State: ‘A New American University’?," by Charles Mitchell, October 5, 2005

Media Coverage

• "A Herd of Academic Minds,"
  by Edwin J. Feulner, The Heritage Foundation, November 1, 2005
• "Arizona Segregation,"
  by Mark Goldblatt, National Review, October 25, 2005
• "FIRE Denounces Arizona State's Reintroduction of Segregated Classes,"
  by Jim Brown, Agape Press, October 7, 2005
• "Arizona State Ends Class Limited to Native Americans,"
  by Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, October 7, 2005
• "Charge of Bias Erupts Over a Course at Arizona State,"
  by Jacob Gershman, The New York Sun, October 7, 2005
• "Race requirement for class dropped,"
  by Amanda Gonser, ASU Web Devil, October 7, 2005
• "ASU denies classes restricted,"
  by Associated Press, Mohave Daily News, October 5, 2005