With No Lawsuit in Sight, U. of Virginia Dives Into the Affirmative-Action Fray

By PETER SCHMIDT

Charlottesville, Va.

Caught up in the middle of the national debate over affirmative action, the University of Virginia's leaders found themselves walking a tenuous line last week.

The institution's Board of Visitors has informally directed President John T. Casteen III to devise alternatives to racial preferences...