Opponents of affirmative action say the battle over the use of race in college admissions

is hardly over, despite the Supreme Court's ruling Monday upholding the goal of a diverse student body. Higher education leaders overwhelmingly hailed the decision, saying it reaffirmed policies used by most .selective colleges and universities. But some critics raised the possibility of more lawsuits, and promised to continue pressuring the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to investigate questionable policies. "We're talking about admission programs, scholarships, any program only for minorities or in which the standards used to judge admissions are substantially different," says Linda Chavez, founder and president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, a conservative non-profit group.

Others say they'll take their case to voters. "We have to seriously contest all this at the ballot box," says University of California regent Ward Connerly, who helped win voter approval of California's Proposition 209, which prohibits considering race or gender in public education, hiring and contracting. Because of that law, Monday's ruling had no practical impact in the state. "It may be time for us to let the (Michigan) voters decide if they want to use race as a factor in admissions," Connerly said Monday.

Meanwhile, U. S. Education Secretary Rod Paige, consistent with President Bushes stance opposing affirmative action, said the Department of Education will "continue examining and highlighting effective race-neutral approaches to ensure broad access to and diversity within our public institutions". Even Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, in one of the opinions, recommended that states look for lessons in race-neutral programs being tried in California and elsewhere. While the ruling said admission officials may consider race in the selection process, colleges and universities are not obligated to do so. "Ultimately in the debate, diversity is a choice, not a legal mandate", says Arthur Coleman, a former Department of Education official who now helps colleges and universities ensure constitutional policies.

The public, too, remains conflicted, largely along racial lines. According to a January poll by the non-profit research organization Public Agenda, 79% of Americans said it is important for colleges to have a racially diverse student body, while just 54% said affirmative action programs should continue. In a Gallup poll conducted days before the ruling, 49% of adults said they favor affirmative action and 43% did not, with blacks and Hispanics far more likely to favor the practice than whites. And some educators doubt that with Monday's ruling, those opposing affirmative action will change their minds.

For now, admission officials and university lawyers are poring over the ruling to determine how or whether to adjust policies. While most tend to be closed-mouthed about admission policies, many say they don't expect significant changes.

What the critics said in the first paragraph amounts to the idea that ______.

A．no admission policies based on race should be implemented

B．minority applicants should be given favorable considerations

C．different standards for admitting minority students should be set up

D．selective colleges and universities should be punished for their discrimin--atory policies