by Clay Reynolds

About the author: Clay Reynolds is a freelance writer who lives in Denton, Texas.

Editor’s Note: The author wishes the reader to note that most, if not all, of the cases mentioned in this article as “ongoing” in 1995 have since been resolved.

Scene: Administrative conference room at a major university. Five grim-faced faculty members sit around a long table and stare at The Accused, who sits at one end, apart and alone. He is well dressed, young middle-aged, nice looking but not particularly handsome. Each member of the Committee has in front of him or her a thick sheaf of papers, which they all consult from time to time. Just to the side, a woman sits apart from the committee. She is the Federal Affirmative Action Officer. At the...