Affirmative Action in College Admissions

Introduction

• Affirmative action is back in the news due to a lawsuit against Harvard.
• The lawsuit claims that Asian-Americans are being discriminated against by these policies.

What is Affirmative Action?

• Policies where race and gender are considered in college admissions.
• Not the only factor; grades, SAT scores, extracurriculars also considered.
• Originated from the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
• Aims to counteract historical racial and gender discrimination.
• Acts as a counterbalance to legacy admissions which favor wealthy, white applicants.

Affirmative Action and Race

• Although it benefits white women, the controversy is often about race.
• Lawsuits have challenged affirmative action, claiming unfair rejection due to race.

Arguments in Favor

• Helps fight discrimination in education.
• Ensures minorities with good academic standing access higher education.
• Data shows a decline in black and Latino students in states with race-blind policies.
• Diverse campuses benefit everyone by fostering valuable interpersonal skills.
• Diverse teams make better decisions and are more profitable for businesses.

Arguments Against

• Viewed by some as discriminatory and creating racial tension.
• Claims of reverse discrimination: qualified candidates rejected for less qualified minority applicants.
• Harvard lawsuit claims Asian-Americans held to higher standards.
• Perception of minority students getting special treatment could impact inclusiveness.
• Some opponents suggest class-based affirmative action instead of race-based.
• Focus should be on improving early education resources for low-income and students of color.

Current Debate

• The debate over affirmative action has been ongoing for years.
• Society is split on whether race should be a factor in admissions.

Conclusion

• Raises questions about societal values and ensuring equality in education.
• Call for public opinions on whether race should be a factor in college admissions.