They show that nearly 14 percent fewer NativeAmerican, Hispanic and black applicants wereadmitted to the state's nine public universitiesthis year. Some campuses, including Berkeley, sawmore than a 50 percent drop in black admissions.

But Connerly said three "historicallyunder-represented" schools saw increases in itsminority admissions rate.

"On the face of it, I am pleased with the wayit's turning out," he said. "System-wide, there isvery little change."

Critics of the initiative said the increases insome schools do not balance the losses inothers--and that the problem ofunder-representation in the more prestigiousschools will only grow worse.

Questioned by a student on the virtue ofdiversity, Connerly acknowledged it as an ideal hevalues.

"We had said we have to have diversity andwe'll strive for excellence, rather than havingexcellence and striving for diversity," he said."Diversity is not a compelling reason to give someof you preference over me," he said.

Kamil E. Redmond '00 asked Connerly whether hebelieved racism still pervaded America'sinstitutions and said a true meritocracy did notexist in university admissions procedures.

Connerly agreed that the UC system was not "apure academic meritocracy," and noted that schoolsare now instructed to admit as much as 50 percentof their classes based upon what Connerly called"supplemental factors" like creativity, tenacityand the ability to overcome obstacles.

Cheryl L. Jones, a fourth year graduatestudent, told Connerly that she "no doubt" hadbenefited from affirmative action in Californiaand worried that its abolition would preventpeople with "disadvantaged backgrounds" fromsucceeding.

Connerly responded that California regents arefocusing their attention on lower performingschools.

Recently, Connerly came out in favor of aproposal to double the spending on underperforming schools--and said last night that hefavors affirmative action based on socioeconomicdifferences.

The Forum audience heeded moderator Alan K.Simpson's careful admonition to respect Connerly,a controversial conservative speaking to a liberalcampus.

Jerry Weinstein, an editor for a localuniversity press, said he "entirely disagreed"with Connerly's argument.

"The lack of understanding of the consequencesof [Proposition 209] is...astounding, "Weinsteinsaid.

Other student felt Connerly's views were not asradical.