THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 15, 1995 TAG: 9508150009
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 26 lines
White House chief of staff Leon Panetta accuses the University of California of ``a major retreat in terms of a university and a state that has (sic) always been on the leading edge of moving forward'' on civil-rights issues.
Civil rights involves equal protection under the law and equal opportunity to enjoy the privileges of citizenship regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnicity or other characteristics unrelated to one's individual worth. The practice of race or gender-based discrimination in school admissions, hiring, and/or contracting processes under the rubric of ``affirmative action'' violates the civil rights of the ``unpreferred.''
The regents have struck a blow for rather than against civil rights.
ROBERT BOYCE
Virginia Beach, July 24, 1995 by CNB