Yes on 107 Campaign Challenges U of A President to Sacrifice his Position for “Diversity”

University of Arizona President Robert Shelton stated in a recent interview with the Arizona Daily Star that he opposes Proposition 107, which would ban race and gender preferences in government, including in higher education. Mr. Shelton further stated that, if 107 is adopted by voters, he “will not back off one bit” from the university’s efforts to promote “diversity” and recruit more women and minorities.

The university’s diversity goals, which are posted on their website, include hiring specified percentages of women and minorities. These hiring quotas include goals for women to comprise 63% of new Assistant Director Administrators, 73% of Animal Technicians, and 56% of the Faculty in Fine Arts. Goals for minority hires include 53% of General Maintenance positions and 59% of Supervisors in Service/Maintenance.

“President Shelton appears concerned that if Prop. 107 passes, the university won’t be able to put ‘diversity goals’ ahead of ‘most qualified’,” said Proposition 107 campaign chair, Rachel Alexander.  “I bet there’s a woman or a ‘minority’ that meets the minimum
qualifications to be president of the University. I challenge President Shelton to walk his own talk and step down for the sake of ‘diversity’. His $549,400 position could be given to an affirmative action applicant. Or perhaps he believes that discriminating quotas should only apply to other people, but not to him?”