Unqualified students who are children or friends of donors or influential people have been admitted to the University of California system through VIP influence, according to a recent investigation. An investigation at the University of California — Berkeley showed that since 1993, at least 200 students were given "special consideration" because of their connections to VIPs. At the University of California — Los Angeles, 200 VIP applicants were admitted after they were first rejected.

One of the VIPs who sought to influence a student’s admission process was Ward Connerly, co-chair of the deceptive and dangerous California "Civil Rights" Initiative (CCRI) campaign. According to the Los Angeles Times, Connerly was able to gain admission for a student with a 2.6 GPA, when students with 4.0 GPAs are routinely turned down.

If passed, CCRI would amend the California constitution to abolish affirmative action for qualified women and minorities in public education, public employment, and public contracting. In addition, Clause "C" of CCRI and similar anti-affirmative action measures around the country would explicity allow or legalize sex discrimination in public education, public employment, and public contracting.

"The University of California investigation proves yet again that the people who receive the real ‘special preferences’ are the wealthy and the well-connected," said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority. "CCRI appears to be a measure which ends discrimination and favoritism. But when people find out that CCRI would instead eliminate affirmative action for those who have been denied equal opportunity — women and minorities — support plummets."

The Feminist Majority is one of the founders of the NO on CCRI campaign, chaired by Peg Yorkin, Chair of the Board of the Feminist Majority, Prema Mathai-Davis, National Executive Director the YWCA, and Lorraine Scheinberg.

The Campaign got a boost from Colin Powell recently. As the commencement speaker of Bowie State University in Maryland, Powell came out strongly in favor of affirmative action, and against CCRI.

"We must resist misguided government efforts that seek to shut [affirmative action] down," said Powell. "Efforts such as the California Civil Rights Initiative which poses as an equal opportunity initiative, but which puts at risk every outreach program, that sets back the gains made by women and puts the brakes on expanding opportunity for people who are in need."

Attacks on affirmative action and efforts to weaken laws prohibiting sex discrimination are continuing around the country. Many of these attacks, like CCRI, would explicitly allow sex discrimination against women and girls through a clause similar to Clause "C" of the CCRI. Clause "C" would allow employers, educational institutions, and government contractors to discriminate on the basis of sex. Clause "C" allows "bona fide qualifications based on sex which are reasonably necessary to the normal operation of public education, public employment, or public contracting."

If passed, CCRI and similar bills would write into law the lowest standard of scrutiny for sex discrimination — effectively legalizing sex discrimination. Under this low standard of judicial review, virtually any reason given for sex discrimination can be judged "reasonable," such as size of uniforms or lack of women’s bathrooms.

In the U.S. Congress, the so-called "Equal Opportunity Act," a CCRI-type bill, is being considered in the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. The Equal Opportunity Act was introduced in the Senate by former Senator Robert Dole, and in the House by Rep. Charles Canady (R-FL).