Race lawsuit settled

VCU will drop race as a factor in admission to a summer program as part of a settlement with a student who sued over allegedly racist policies.

Emily Smith, a white student at Monacan High School who was admitted into – and later denied entry to – the summer 2006 Urban Journalism Workshop run by the School of Mass Communications, sued in September.

She enlisted the help of the Center for Individual Rights, which filed suit in federal court against the university, several mass communications professors, Media General Inc. and the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund. The fund runs similar programs at other universities designed to increase minority interest in journalism. Under the accord, race will no longer be a factor in admissions, and the fund will “conspicuously include a statement to the effect that the program has been changed to eliminate any racial preference,” the CIR said in a Wednesday press release.

Dow Jones will be required to run all of its programs with race-neutral criteria and publicity, according to the agreement, available from the CIR Web site Wednesday night. No wrongdoing will be admitted by VCU, the document, signed Jan. 26 by several parties, also stated.

According to a statement released Wednesday by University News Services, Smith and her legal team will be paid $25,000. Smith will also be offered a place in the 2007 summer workshop.

“As one of the most diverse institutions in Virginia, VCU remains committed to inclusiveness in all of its programs,” the release stated. The university expects to continue the program beyond 2007.

Terence Pell, president of the CIR, was glad for the agreement.

VCU “deserves credit for taking the lead in promptly settling this case. Today’s settlement saves the taxpayers significant legal expense and ensures that this summer’s programs will be open to all, regardless of race,” Pell said.