Center for Equal Opportunity

Center for Equal Opportunity is a non-profit think tank based in Sterling, Virginia, founded by Linda Chavez in 1995. The organization is known for its research and advocacy on issues related to affirmative action, immigration reform, and civil rights, often working with other groups like the American Civil Rights Institute and the National Association of Scholars. The Center for Equal Opportunity has been involved in various high-profile cases, including the University of Michigan affirmative action case, which was heard by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2003, with Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger being notable examples. The organization has also collaborated with prominent individuals like Ward Connerly and Thomas Sowell on issues related to racial preferences and merit-based admissions.

● History

The Center for Equal Opportunity was established in 1995 by Linda Chavez, a former Reagan Administration official and Hispanic activist, with the goal of promoting colorblind policies and opposing racial preferences. The organization has been based in Sterling, Virginia, and has worked with other groups like the Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation on issues related to limited government and individual rights. The Center for Equal Opportunity has also been involved in various Supreme Court cases, including the Hopwood v. Texas case in 1996, which challenged the use of affirmative action in law school admissions at the University of Texas at Austin. The organization has also worked with prominent lawyers like Ted Olson and Michael Carvin on cases related to voting rights and election law.

● Mission and Activities

The Center for Equal Opportunity's mission is to promote equal opportunity and merit-based policies, and to oppose racial preferences and quotas. The organization conducts research and analysis on issues related to affirmative action, immigration reform, and civil rights, and publishes reports and studies on these topics, often in collaboration with other groups like the American Enterprise Institute and the Manhattan Institute. The Center for Equal Opportunity also engages in advocacy and litigation to promote its goals, and has worked with prominent law firms like Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Jones Day on cases related to employment law and education policy. The organization has also partnered with other groups like the National Center for Public Policy Research and the Pacific Legal Foundation to promote limited government and individual rights.

● Controversies

The Center for Equal Opportunity has been involved in several controversies over the years, including its opposition to affirmative action policies at universities like Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley. The organization has also been criticized for its stance on immigration reform, which some have characterized as anti-immigrant. The Center for Equal Opportunity has also been involved in high-profile lawsuits, including a 2012 case against the University of Texas at Austin over its use of affirmative action in admissions, with Fisher v. University of Texas being a notable example. The organization has also faced criticism from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP over its stance on issues related to voting rights and racial justice.

● Notable Cases and Research

The Center for Equal Opportunity has been involved in several notable cases and research projects over the years, including the Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger cases, which challenged the use of affirmative action at the University of Michigan. The organization has also conducted research on issues related to immigration reform, including a 2013 study on the impact of immigration on wages and employment in the United States, in collaboration with economists like Borjas, George and Friedberg, Rachel. The Center for Equal Opportunity has also published reports on issues related to education policy, including a 2015 study on the use of merit-based admissions at top universities like Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The organization has also worked with prominent researchers like Charles Murray and Heather Mac Donald on issues related to education reform and social policy.

● Leadership and Funding

The Center for Equal Opportunity is led by Linda Chavez, who has been the organization's president since its founding in 1995. The organization is funded by a variety of sources, including foundations like the Scaife Foundations and the Bradley Foundation, as well as individual donors like Richard Mellon Scaife and Lynde and Harry Bradley. The Center for Equal Opportunity has also received funding from corporations like ExxonMobil and Coca-Cola, and has partnered with other groups like the Philanthropy Roundtable and the Federalist Society to promote limited government and individual rights. The organization has also worked with prominent philanthropists like Charles Koch and David Koch on issues related to education reform and economic policy. Category:Think tanks based in the United States