Fortune 500 companies joined students and University faculty last week as one of many groups affected by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeal's decision to support the use of race as a factor in Law School admissions.

Thirty-three businesses - including General Motors, 3M and Microsoft Corp. - filed amicus briefs last May in support of the University. The "friend of the court" briefs allowed companies to voice their support of the University's race-conscious admissions policies to the court. These corporations continue to stress the importance of multiculturalism as students enter the job market.

"General Motors is striving to have a diverse work force," GM spokesman Tom Wiskham said after the court's ruling last week. GM is one of several companies who come to the University each year in search of future employees.

In the brief, GM stated that "only a well-educated, diverse workforce, comprising people who have learned to work productively and creatively with individuals from a multitude of races and ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, can maintain America's competitiveness in the increasingly diverse and interconnected world economy."

GM is one of a number of businesses that recruits students at job fairs arranged by the Office of Career Planning and Placement. Terri LaMarco, associate director of CP&P, said these companies come to the University because they are able to connect with students from a variety of backgrounds.

"Organizations are very happy with (the University) as it is right now," LaMarco said. She added that these businesses are interested in the University because of the quality of education and the makeup of the student body, both of which are influenced by a school's level of diversity. As a result, the University's lawsuits have a direct effect on corporate recruiting efforts, she said.

"Organizations that are interested in diversifying their staffs are very interested in this case," LaMarco said. "As we value diversity in creating an educational environment, they value it in creating a diverse workspace."

LSA junior Phillip Morgan said he noticed business' interest in a diverse staff when talking to recruiters.

"One of the Disney entrepreneurs viewed (the University) as a diverse group of people, and that's what they're looking for," Morgan said. He added that companies said they liked the diverse atmosphere of the school because it allowed them to extend their market.