The University of Texas at Austin   School of Law

Press Contacts: Jerome Williams, 471-7302, jerome.williams@mail.utexas.edu and Meme Drumwright, 471-2367, mdrum@mail.utexas.edu

Symposium on Consumer Racial Profiling at the University of Texas

National Experts to Discuss Psychological Underpinnings, Various Laws and How Companies Deal with Consumer Racial Profiling

Event: Consumer Racial Profiling: Perspectives from the Classroom, Courtroom and Boardroom features nationally known experts in the field of consumer racial profiling discussing the current state of racial profiling and how consumers, businesses and the law are addressing the issue. Featured experts include:

• Dan Butler, National Retail Federation
• Cletus P. Ernster, III, Chargois & Ernster, L.L. P.
• Anne-Marie G. Harris, Salem State College School of Business
• Dr. Geraldine R. Henderson, The University of Virginia
• Ray Hood-Phillips, Denny’s, Inc.
• Carol Jackson, Macy’s West, A Division of Federated Department Stores, Inc.
• Paul Mollica, Meites, Mulder, Burger & Mollica
• Randall L. Oyler, Barack Ferrazzana Kirschbaum Perlman & Nagelberg, L.L.C.
• Dr. Jerome Williams, The University of Texas at Austin

Each of the three sessions includes a Q&A and is free and open to the public.

For a map of University of Texas campus buildings, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/maps/main/buildings/index.html

Background: With the passage of civil rights legislation in the 1960s, American society began to make significant strides toward achieving great equality between racial/ethnic groups. Yet forty years later, many minority consumers feel they are not receiving equal treatment for equal dollars. For example, a recent Gallup poll indicates that 46 percent of blacks believe they are treated less fairly in downtown stores or malls. Anecdotal evidence in stories by Dateline and 20/20 further support the cause for concern.

The Consumer Racial Profiling symposium consists of three sessions.
Perspectives from the Classroom: Will explore approaches for conducting consumer racial profiling, the behavioral and psychological underpinnings of consumer racial profiling, and how consumers have responded and taken action.
Perspectives from the Courtroom: Will discuss the types of consumer racial profiling cases attorneys are likely to take, the elements of a strong consumer racial profiling case, and what laws and statutes are used to bring consumer racial profiling suits.
Perspectives from the Boardroom: Will illustrate how to go about restructuring a company in crises through effective diversity management and how companies are dealing with consumer racial profiling challenges as they related to employees and customers.