Although Michigan voters banned affirmation action in Tuesday's election, MSU officials said students will not see immediate changes within the university.

The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, or Proposal 2, banned preferential treatment in regard to race and gender in college admissions and government hiring and contracting.

As this applies to MSU, President Lou Anna K. Simon said in an online Web blog the university will "of course, follow the law" but cautions she's not jumping to conclusions about how the law will affect university programs.

"MSU will follow the law, and that's all I can say at this point in time," said Lee June, vice president of student affairs and services. "President Simon also indicated that we will continue our commitment to access and inclusion."

University officials are in the process of assessing university programs to determine how the passing of the proposal will impact them, university spokesman Terry Denbow said.

"We're looking at all programs that relate to our core commitments of access, diversity and inclusion to ensure that they remain at our core," Denbow said.

"We are also interpreting them in light because the prescriptions or conclusions (of Proposal 2) are not clear."

In terms of university admissions, MSU uses a holistic approach — not a point scale, so policies should not be greatly affected, MSU spokeswoman Deb Hammacher said.

University hiring, however, may be affected because affirmative action is used during the consideration of candidates, she said.

"What we don't know at this point is if our affirmative action guidelines will change," Hammacher said. "It'll be up to the court — those are federal guidelines, and what we don't know is if the federal guidelines trump state laws."

Although the Office for Affirmative Action Compliance and Monitoring could be in jeopardy, officials said it might not be altered or cut.

Paulette Granberry Russell, office director and senior adviser to the president for diversity, said she believes the office won't change because its role is to monitor university employment — not enforce affirmative action.

"That's one of those areas subject to interpretation," she said. "If I look at the experiences of California and Washington, their affirmative action employment efforts and requirements are in place. Others may challenge our expectations there; we will have to wait and see if it will affect our ability as a federal contractor."

Granberry Russell also expressed concerns for the campus environment now that the proposal has passed.

"I want the campus community to understand there are varying beliefs, values and positions of members of the MSU community (in regard to affirmative action)," she said. "We need to treat each other with respect."

In the wake of Election Day, some student groups are left reflecting on their efforts to defeat the proposal.

The Asian Pacific American Student Organization, or APASO, has been rallying against Proposal 2 for more than a year, co-president Ian Gallardo said.

"It is kind of sad looking in the news and seeing that it passed," Gallardo said.

APASO has fears about the future of its group because it recruits members through MSU, Gallardo said.

"If those programs are at risk, that puts us in a tight spot because we have a hard enough time reaching out to Asian American students and students of color in general," he said.

Support for minority students comes from programs such as the Multi-Racial Unity Living Experience. The goal of the program is to establish relationships that foster positive race relations on campus, student leader Tim Hillman said.

"Should Proposal 2 have similar impacts like Proposition 209 did in California campuses, then we're afraid that a lack of diversity on campus is going to make our program more difficult," Hillman said.

Proposition 209, which passed in California in 1996, decreased minority retention rates at the University of California because it banned the use of racial preference in public education and state government.

By Any Means Necessary, or BAMN, a group that supports affirmative action, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Detroit's U.S. District Court trying to block the proposal from going into effect.

The same group lost in the courts after trying to prevent the proposal from appearing on the ballot.

Students at the University of Michigan have turned to their university officials for answers.

U-M President Mary Sue Coleman spoke on U-M's campus Wednesday amid a tense student body, noting that the university is considering taking legal action in response to the proposal.

"I will not allow this university to go down the path of mediocrity," she said.

Students came to the center of U-M's campus to hear the president's remarks.

"I believe in Mary Sue Coleman," said Tyler Hauck, a literature, science and arts freshman at U-M. "Whatever she thinks is right for the university, I support her."

But Ryan Fantuzzi, a U-M political science and middle eastern studies junior, rallied on the campus in favor of Proposal 2.

"It's been the most worthwhile thing I've ever done in my entire life," he said.

Fantuzzi said he was pleased it passed.

"It felt a lot like Christmas," he said. "It's finally time to celebrate. Our hard work finally paid off."

But for U-M, the hard work is just beginning, Coleman said.

"I am deeply disappointed that the voters of our state have rejected affirmative action as a way to help build a community that is fair and equal to all," Coleman said during her address.

"But we will not be deterred in the all-important work of creating a diverse, welcoming campus."

The Associated Press and Kathleen Polesnak contributed to this report.