VENTURA : Forum to Discuss Affirmative Action

On the heels of a student protest against a state community college board proposal to restrict minority hiring and programs, a citizen-based advisory commission will hold a forum on affirmative action today.

Sponsored by the Affirmative Action Commission of Ventura County, “Affirmative Action: Who It Helps--Who it Hurts” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the County Board of Supervisor’s hearing room at the Ventura County Government Center.

Featured speakers will include Patricia Montemayor, Santa Barbara County affirmative action officer; John Hill, director of the Office of Affirmative Action Compliance, Los Angeles County; and Fred Jones, a steering committee member of the Black American Political Assn. of California.

Neil Demers-Grey, Ventura County’s affirmative action commissioner, said the forum will attempt to debunk certain misperceptions about affirmative action.

“We want to let people know what the reality is surrounding the issues and battle the misinformation that seems to be rampant,” Demers-Grey said.

Many people, for instance, believe that county government has mandatory hiring quotas, which Demers-Grey said is not the case. He added that women have been the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action programs.

Demers-Grey said that speakers who oppose affirmative action programs declined his invitation to attend.

The forum follows a protest by two dozen Ventura College students and faculty Thursday. The state community college board was reviewing a proposal to restrict affirmative action policies affecting hiring, business contracts and programs for minority students. The board will vote on the proposal in November.

Demers-Grey said he is looking forward to broadening the discussion of affirmative action in Ventura County at today’s forum.

For more information, call 650-9546.