AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Vice President of Unity and Social Justice

Statistics  Regents of the University of California v. Bakke  Since the late 1980s, students of color have increased their total college enrollment by 57.2 percent.  On average, a woman with a Master’s degree makes $4,765 less than a man with an undergraduate degree.  Although white men make up only 48 % of the college- educated workforce, they hold over 90 % of the top jobs in the news media, 96 % of CEO positions, 86 % of law firm partnerships, and 85 % of tenured college faculty positions.

The Issue  Against  Reverse discrimination  Lowers standards of accountability  Demeans minorities’ achievements  Admittance of ill equipped candidates only leads to failure  For  Equality and fairness  Diversity is critical to the future strength of our society and our economy  Disparities still exist  Disadvantaged candidates

Is it just?  Is diversity necessary for a “well-rounded” education?  Is the color of skin more important than the content of character?  Is affirmative action still necessary to ensure equality?  Are privileged individuals on the same playing field as those who are less fortunate?

What can we do?