In Afrmation

In A rmation Statesman supports Afrmative Action, diversity for societal growth

Your mouse hovers over the check box. Please indicate how you identify yourself. (Select one or more) Thoughts run about leaving it blank—will the admissions ofcers have prejudices if I specify my race? But they’ll probably already assume the worst if I don’t answer, right? Any chance at getting a leg up feels tempting.

While lying on college applications isn’t a punishable crime, severe disciplinary actions have been enacted by schools across the country. The recent Varsity Blues case, where scandal leader William “Rick” Singer encouraged non-minorities to identify as minorities, cheat on standardized testing and bribe various admission ofcers, has exposed the high-stakes, cutthroat process of college admissions in America. As applications are becoming more competitive, each part of the process is under even more scrutiny. The presence of Afrmative Action spurs us to evaluate the importance of diversity on college campuses.

Statesman encourages people to value diversity brought by Afrmative Action and to think of its impacts beyond the college admissions process in order to rectify systemic discrimination.

Afrmative Action is a means for institutions to address injustice in society. Its roots date back to the Civil Rights Movement when universities began implementing Afrmative Action procedures in the 1960s but not without pushback.

In landmark Supreme Court cases like Fisher v. University of Texas (2016) and Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), students have sued schools with varying degrees of success to eliminate the Afrmative Action process. Recently, in the case Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2020) and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina (UNC) (2021), questions were raised about the risk of academic quality over student body diversity. Both the Harvard and UNC cases are set to be retried again in November of 2022.

Each of the Supreme Court’s past verdicts have continually redefned the processes of Afrmative Action. On one hand, schools can’t have racial quotas; on the other, schools can be race-conscious. Schools can’t give racial bonuses; schools can set diversity “goals.” Afrmative Action has now become a buzzword for an ambiguous notion of equity. Its original meaning has morphed away from what many believe Afrmative Action is, which makes open debate difcult.

Since our interpretations of Afrmative Action are so diverse, our expectations for the magnitude of its impact are equally diferent. Statesman believes that regardless of the exact defnition of Afrmative Action, its overarching goal of diversifying campuses is essential for societal growth. Forbes reports more diverse teams are more innovative by a factor of 1.7 and are better at making decisions than non-diverse counterparts 87 percent of the time. As the next generation enters the workforce, we’re left with several substantial crises to solve so diverse collaboration is critical.

Colleges themselves, therefore, also have a duty to expose students to diversity. As hubs of the world’s aspiring leaders, the variety of life experiences one acquires carries more value in admissions than scores on standardized tests.

When applicants are under a holistic review process, factors other than race are considered. Certainly, race isn’t and shouldn’t be the sole reason for admission. Regardless, minority students are often ostracized as “diversity admits” even though they’re adequately qualifed. Critics of Afrmative Action believe their spot was “stolen” from them by minority students, which is not the case as many programs do not use a one-in-one-out approach for admissions. Today, the hyper-competitive atmosphere in high school has created a characterization of Afrmative Action as not a policy to increase diversity but rather a tool used to gain an advantage in admissions, which we must redress.

Even though recent conversations about diversity are race-centric, we must also be cognizant that discrimination is prevalent in

Statesman stresses the importance of valuing others for their individualities rather than buying into racial stereotypes.

gender, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, disability and much more. Intersectionality shapes us but the extent to which it defnes us is left to ourselves and not an admissions ofcer.

Yet, completely ignoring race leaves the puzzle of identity incomplete. Nine states, including California and Michigan, have banned Afrmative Action, instead opting for a “color blind” process. However, since passing this proposition in California, underrepresented minority (URM) degree attainment has declined overall but especially in STEM felds as found in a 2020 study conducted by the University of California (UC), Berkeley. The proposition also has deterred thousands of qualifed URM students from applying to any UC campus. Without race-based Afrmative Action, educational institutions take a major loss in student body diversity, reversing decades of progress.

With such a drastic setback once Afrmative Action is taken away, we must create a safety net of alternative solutions to combat systemic discrimination. Currently, conversations about diversity are uncomfortable but that only necessitates further work toward understanding diferent viewpoints. In the face of discomfort, Statesman stresses the importance of valuing others for their individualities rather than buying into racial stereotypes.

Stevenson’s own diversity goals include statements such as being “relentless in removing barriers to full equity, access and inclusivity” but are certainly not tangible without support and collaboration within the student body. We must be perceptive towards difering values and tackle the problem from its roots in order to normalize diversity.

Moreover, students can research schools and companies that emphasize diversity. Institutions often provide race and gender ratios of classes, lists of student organizations and mission statements that students can explore. By seeking opportunities to immerse oneself in a fourishing culture, we can begin to understand the diferent educational experiences that Afrmative Action upholds.

While it is our hope institutions become naturally diverse and we no longer need Afrmative Action, we may still be decades away from it. Until our colleges and universities are truly representative of the American experience, we must actively work to foster diverse environments and continue to fght the impending prejudices.

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