State voters approved a ban on the use of gender and race in admissions and hiring on Nov. 7, but the implementation of the ban has been delayed by court order.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, and Attorney General Mike Cox, a Republican, separately told a federal appeals court that a Dec. 19 order by a lower-court judge should stand, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday. The judge's order permits universities to continue their current practices until July 1.

U.S. District Judge David Lawson allowed the delay after officials from several universities, including Michigan State and Wayne State, argued that an immediate start of the ban would complicate the admission process for this year's class and make it unfair.

Eric Russell, an applicant to the University of Michigan law school, is asking the appeals court to halt Lawson's order, but it is unknown when the court will rule on his request, the newspaper reported.