Mohave Daily News: State

PHOENIX (AP) - National anti-affirmative action activists are investigating the higher-education admissions policies in Arizona and eight other states.

But officials at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff say they aren't worried. Race is not used in admissions decisions at any of the schools.

Nevertheless, the California-based American Civil Rights Coalition, is investigating the universities to decide whether to introduce legislation asking voters in the eight states how they feel about the use of race in admissions.

The group is looking at Arizona because residents asked it to do so, said Diane Schachterle, the coalition's spokeswoman.

‘‘It was clear that the issue of ending racial preferences is very strong and popular with the people, even though the elites are not on board,'' she said. ‘‘So it was clear to us that we need to take it to a few more states to keep the movement going.''

University officials said the coalition is free to research Arizona higher education, but will not find what it's looking for.

‘‘A student's ethnic background has never been used as a factor in determining admittance to ASU,'' university spokeswoman Leah Hardesty said.

She said students are admitted only if they meet the academic qualifications.

UA officials emphasize diversity by recruiting at high schools with student populations that are underrepresented at the university, said Paul Kohn, UA assistant vice president for admissions and financial aid.

He said that Arizona hasn't historically had the best reputation for being open to diversity and that an attempt to make higher education less diverse could backfire.

‘‘I don't fear that our policy will have to change, but I do fear how this might influence the nation's perception of Arizona by such an effort,'' he said.