One student organization in Columbia has been working against Connerly's controversial initiative, and it's an initiative that could make it onto the November ballot. Since January, the "Missing Minority Campaign" has educated others on why they disagree with the Civil Rights Initiative. Proponents of the initiative seek to "end preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race or sex, in public employment or public education." Essentially, this would end most government-enforced and government-funded affirmative action, totally eliminating race-based scholarships at universities like Missouri.

"Most students know that without affirmative action, minority and non-minority, it leaves our school in turmoil," said MU student Anthony Martin.

But not all students agree.

"I don't think ethnic minorities, women or anyone else need extra help based on things they have no control over," said MU student Jeremy Hagen.

Hagen thinks programs that take race into consideration actually hurt the university, and ultimately hurt society.

"I think it's critical to move beyond the race issue," he said.

The U.S. Department of Labor says the largest beneficiaries of affirmative action are not blacks, or Latinos.

"People who benefit the most are Caucasian women," Martin said. "Since affirmative action has been implemented, statistics show white women have benefited more."

MU student Kristen Overmyer believes she, along with other white women, will lose out if the initiative passes.

"Education is not something you can steal from others," Overmyer said. "But when you eliminate affirmative action, you're not only stealing from blacks, Latinos and Koreans, you're also stealing from women."

But Tim Asher, executive director for the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative, has a different opinion.

"They need to be sure there are no barriers in anyone's way to succeeding," he said.

The missing minority campaign has recruited students, faculty and staff of all ethnicities.

"I've gotten a lot of support from the students I've reached out to," said MU student Danielle Huff.

The Civil Rights Initiative has already passed in California, Michigan, and Washington.

"I jumped in with both feet and to the question of whether the university should be using race as a factor because that's an overarching policy question," said Connerly.

In past years, regardless of high profile protests, Connerly's petitioners gathered the required amount of signatures, placing the initiative on the state's ballot. In each state, it passed.

"If it gets on the November ballot, we're gonna have our work cut out for us," said Martin. "As we've heard from other states, once it's on the ballot, it was downhill from there. They basically had no chance."

One organization that proclaims itself defenders of affirmative action claim Connerly's petitioners use deceptive measures to gather signatures, a practice they believe has happened at MU. Some students say petitioners dishonestly gathered signatures at Speakers Circle on the MU campus. Now a form is available where you can void your signature.

"We're not trying to deceive anyone," said Asher.

If the initiative passes, students will see different results on the horizon.

"I think we'll see an increase in increase of enrollment and graduation rates because that's what we've seen in other states that have passed this initiative," said Hagen.

At four major universities in states where this has passed, minority enrollment dropped drastically, which may explain why those opposed have their doubts.

"Clearly minorities are still economically disadvantaged, so if you take away that one program that's aimed at trying to help them specifically, the end result is that it's just going to get worse," said MU student Winston Tracy.

In order for the initiative to make it onto the November ballot, petitioners must gather 145,000 signatures from registered voters by May 4th. On Tuesday, students will rally around the MU campus in support of affirmative action.