Assignment:
Problem: What are the reasons for encouraging diversity in a student body? How would you describe the value "diversity" in this context and what kinds of diversity would you include as valuable? What are the social and economic injustices that affirmative action is meant to address?
Particulars:
A small, private university located near Figaro, Buch University, will be hosting a forum on affirmative action in the college admissions process. Buch U is a major employer in the area, and they have invited a representative of the Figaro Committee on Human Rights to participate in the forum. Buch U has an admissions process in which they do not have any particular quota for racial or ethnic categories, but instead have the goal of creating a diverse student body as one of the factors in the admissions decision process. Even with this goal, the student body of Buch U is only 4.5 percent African American and 2 percent Latino, which is lower than both the national and local percentages of these racial and ethnic groups. At the same time, some local conservative groups have criticized the university for having any affirmative action or diversity policy, calling it 'reverse racism.'
You put together some notes for yourself to prepare for the forum, covering the following issues: What are the reasons for encouraging diversity in a student body? How would you describe the value "diversity" in this context and what kinds of diversity would you include as valuable? What are the social and economic injustices that affirmative action is meant to address (for example, unequal access to education, past racism, or current economic disparities)? Give examples and use research to support your answers. Are these current issues or in the past? Do you support the idea of encouraging diversity or affirmative action policies in this context? Explain.