Discusses the civil rights movements of the 1950s and 1960s and the need to recapture the commitment to ending discrimination. The legal principle on which the early civil rights movement was based and the law's degeneration into preferential treatment and race-based entitlement are discussed. It argues for embracing the colorblind legal order…

In March 1996, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals invalidated the University of Texas School of Law's admission policy in "Hopwood v. State of Texas." The state failed to show a compelling government interest for the affirmative-action admissions policy favoring Mexican-American and African-American applicants. Minority admissions…

Democracy rightly holds a critical significance in any context in which relatively small elites have subjugated majorities. When a democracy has been established in a societal context that encompasses minority subgroups along with a dominant majority, minority groups are in danger. Democracy is not equity, nor any guarantee of equity. (MLH)

Critiques the theory advanced by A. Thernstrom and S. Thernstrom that affirmative action is responsible for the high college dropout rates of African Americans because underqualified applicants are admitted. The argument centers on examination of dropout rates at historically black colleges and institutions, where racial preference is not a…

Addresses key questions regarding how multicultural counseling programs arise, recommends readings that address ethnic parity in counseling psychology, and makes arguments in defense of affirmative action in psychology departments. Addresses the related issue of federal funding for psychology graduate students. (SNR)

Democrats who wanted more state support for colleges and scholarships were surprise victors in the November 1998 gubernatorial elections in Alabama, Iowa, South Carolina, and California. However, in the same election the political movement against affirmative action was strengthened in a Washington State referendum. Results of state referenda…

Presents the story of how General Colin Powell was persuaded to make a strong statement in support of affirmative action in higher education rather than supporting the Republican Party's nationwide legislative ban on affirmative action, patterned after Proposition 209 in California. (SM)

Critiquing two "Handbook" chapters on gender and race, this article observes that equity concerns have given way to concerns with quality and excellence. Both chapters explore reasons behind lack of equity (for poor students of color and women in school administration) and criticize "liberal" solutions to social problems.…

Describes a participatory exercise in which a simulation is used to create the context of institutional discrimination. Explains that student volunteers leave the room while two terms are defined to the remaining students. When the volunteers return, the entire class is given a pop quiz on the terms. (CMK)

This article reports on the results of a national study of state higher education boards in the US to understand their role in efforts to increase student access and achievement in higher education. The data reveal that only a small minority of state higher education boards have articulated policy objectives and implemented initiatives that are…

The purpose of this study was to survey African American College students' perceptions of racial preferences and Affirmative Action in making admission decisions at a predominantly White university. 422 questionnaires were sent out to African American College students at a large, urban, public, comprehensive research university in the southern…

Recent research and critiques of affirmative action in college admissions raise questions about popular approaches for enhancing learning outcomes, suggesting that a diverse student body is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for experiencing diversity, creating supportive learning environments, or fostering desired outcomes of college.…

This article examines current issues regarding affirmative action in today's institutions of higher learning. It addresses the two recent cases decided before the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the University of Michigan's policy. Two other recent and related issues, the "Hopwood" case and California's Proposition 209 approach, are also…

Northeastern University's Torch Scholars Program is designed to seek out first-generation students who would not qualify under the university's regular admissions process. The scholarships go to motivated students who have shown determination in overcoming personal challenges. Northeastern believes the experiment will enhance the socioeconomic…

For more than four decades, universities have used affirmative-action policies to increase the participation of U.S.-born women and members of minority groups in higher education, where traditionally they have been under-represented. Yet those policies, often applied in decisions about which students to admit and which faculty members to hire,…