The University of Alaska at Anchorage, delighted to increase representation of Alaskan Indians on the faculty, hired John Smelcer, sight unseen, for a job in the English department. This decision came despite objections from the department to race-based hiring. Smelcer included in his application a letter from the head of an Alaskan Indian group testifying to Smelcer's own native heritage. But as it turns out, Smelcer is blond, blue-eyed, white, and the adopted son of an Alaskan Indian couple. The school is now investigating the matter.

†