Ward Connerly (www.mediatransparency.org)

Ward Connerly, a Sacramento millionaire who for a decade fought against the affirmative action, has left his University of California pulpit.

Connerly, incidentally black himself, received a standing ovation as he attended the last meeting as a member of the university’s Board of Regents on Jan. 20, The New York Times reported. A resolution of appreciation for Connerly described him as a “catalyst for change” for pursuing during his 12-year term a policy against race-based preferences. His stand divided not just the university and state but even brought the institution to the center of a national debate on affirmative action.

Affirmative action, which has frequently benefited members of the African American community, has been a sensitive issue that goes to the heart of debate over race relations in America.

The New York Times said Connerly hoped that the university would not revert policies

on race. “For God’s sake, don’t do it,” he said.

Connerly, a Republican, led an action by the Regents in 1995 banning affirmative action in the admissions policies throughout the University of California systems.

Next year, he led a ballot measure in the state, which prohibited state and local governments from using racial and sexual preferences in hiring, contracting and college admissions.

While many agreed with Connerly, Julian Bond, chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) said “It’s good news because he’ll

no longer be able to lower the number of minorities at California’s flagship universities. It is bad news because he’ll now have more free time to take his devilry around the country,” the paper quoted him as saying.