Affirmative Action
Affirmative action's role in colleges and universities has been a strongly debated topic. The heated subject has again come to the forefront due to the recent bans imposed on affirmative action by California and Washington. In 1978, the Supreme Court ruled (University of California Regents v. Bakke) that universities are allowed to consider race as a factor when choosing which students to accept. Affirmative action was intended to level the racial playing field and give minorities chances in the workplace and the classroom that they would not have received in the absence of affirmative action. However, while minorities have had more opportunities, Caucasians have suffered. This so-called reverse discrimination hurts whites and minorities, because all races are not being treated equally. Affirmative action has played an important role in colleges and universities throughout America. Race is a major factor when it comes to the college admissions process. In most of the nation's colleges and universities, minorities receive priority when colleges look at prospective incoming freshman. The majority of the nation's schools accept minorities before more-qualified whites, hurting both races. The main reason minorities are admitted? It is not due to their SAT scores, their involvement in high school activities, or their grade point averages. They are admitted because of the color of their skin. Colleges and universities that accept under qualified minorities over Caucasians are practicing discrimination. As a result of this unfair practice, the races have been further delineated and racial tension has continued to grow on college campuses. Supporters of affirmative action in colleges state that it promotes racial diversity and helps level the playing field between minorities and more fortunate Caucasians. However, the question that is posed to many college and university leaders is: Does a culturally diverse student body improve the learning environment more than the best possible students would? In order to promote the most positive intellectual atmosphere for students at colleges and universities, rather then attempting to achieve a diverse campus, the best students should be admitted.
School leaders in favor of affirmative action use racial diversity or economic reasons to support their stance. Many believe that by diversifying college and u...
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...treach programs should be strengthened to give minorities a better shot to compete for the available campus slots. However, something must be done to end the discrimination that is occurring in college admissions. The first step that colleges and universities must take will be to end all preferential treatment of minorities in the admissions process.
Works Cited
Gillis, Malcolm. "Diverse Campuses Benefit Students and Institutions," Higher Education and National Affairs: American Council on Education. Volume 48, No. 6, 3/29/99. Available http: http://www.acenet.edu/hena/issues/1999/03_29_99/opinion_diverse.html
Morin, Richard and Sharon Warden. "Americans Vent Anger at Affirmative Action." Washington Post Online. March 24, 1995. Available http: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/affirm/stories/aa032495.htm
Sanchez, Rene. "Applicant's Challenge Emerges as Pivotal Affirmative Action Case." Washington Post Online. December 5, 1997. Available http: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/affirm/stories/aa120597.htm
Yoo, John. "Interview with John Yoo." Available http: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/sats/interviews/yoo.html
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