President Bush, in his Jan. 15 speech, eloquently affirmed his support of diversity in universities while rejecting the use of affirmative action programs to accomplish this admirable goal.

Addressing admission policies at the University of Michigan and universities throughout the country, the president argued that "colleges can attain broad racial diversity" by "guaranteeing admissions to the top students from high schools throughout the state, including low income neighborhoods."

This new focus is what universities need -- admission criteria based not on race, but on challenges faced and overcome. Minority high school students fighting extreme poverty and troubled schools should certainly be given preference over any white student obtaining similar knowledge at the best public school in the state. But the key issue here is not race -- instead, it is the challenges faced on the road to success.

Let's give more credit to students who work hard through adversity instead of students who sleep through high school. While academic prowess should remain the primary consideration, universities should desire the best and most driven students, and thus, should discriminate against the slothful, regardless of skin hue. This will bring diversity, equal opportunity, and students who overcome to universities around the country.

President Bush understands this. I applaud him for disregarding those who would have us continue in the immoral racial discrimination of our past.

Rejecting this, he has taken a stand in support of all American students, regardless of their skin color.