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Show Monday, 10. November 1997 The Daily Utah Chronicle - 7 ACTION DEBRT institutional equity at Duke University in North Carolina. stories by Cheryl Sanders "If we are ever to become aJulfy integrated in which the color of a person's will not determine the opportunities society-o- ne skit available to him or her, we must be willing to take steps to open those doors." U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Others believe this action retracts the efforts made by our past leaders to equalize the nation. "Affirmative action has opened the door for women and ethnic minorities in places we were traditionally locked out of," said Hilary Shelton, assistant director of the Washington chapter of the NAACP. "Eliminating the policies and goals created by such 1978 The Supreme court is considering a proposition to keep minorities and women from attending good schools or getting decent jobs. At least, that is what some strong supporters of affirmative action arc saying. With Proposition 209 abolishing affirmative action in California in July, some students feel their acceptances into college are subject to the whims of discriminatory admissions. Proposition 209 was challenged recendy in the Supreme Court by the school's administration. The court declined to hear any more appeals on the case. Some supporters of Proposition 209, and those like it, have opposing views. he said. Thomas Loveridge of the Equal Opportunity office at the U dis- person," programs would mean the of society." agrees. "If someone hires or accepts a person because they are a minority, regardless of their qualifications, that is illegal. That is not what action is for. Affirmative action is a basis for recruitment for qualified individuals, it is not for employers or schools to be politically correct" Why is the Supreme Court involved with abolishing affirmative action? In 1989, Sharon Taxman was laid off from her position as a high school business teacher. Another teacher and African American-w- as kept in the position. Taxman, eight years later, was reinstated but only after the second teacher retired. She is daiming discrimination from the Board of Education in Piscataway, and is taking action many, fear, will result in a national effect on affirmative action. Michael Sanders,, a law school graduate of the University of Utah, supports the end of affirmative action Board and cites Martin Luther Kingjr. "King said we should judge no one by the color of their skin. He said everyone is equal and should be treated so. If we hire or accept a person because of his race, we are then discriminating against his race as well as the race of another qualified white and ethnic origin. In other words, the board passed a law abolishing affirmative action on its campuses. "Affirmative action is a remedial tool to offset past inequality and future inequality," she said. "What we need is more inclusion," according to Myrna Adams, vice president of The University of California of Regents vote ended hiring and admissions based on race; sex n resegrega-tio- Director of Admissions at MIT Michael C. Behnke feels the need to abolish affirmative action is not there. "Judging from the political climate, I don't believe we'd ever reach that point when affirmative action is not needed," he said Joseph Gallegos, director for Utah Anti Discrimination and Labor Division, perceives the argument against affirmative action as a tool for . reverse discrimination a "red her- ring." "I have yet to encounter that person who is a victim of reverse said. Mike Sanders agrees, however he feels all dis crimination, reverse or otherwise, is still nation. just discrimi- . "If you arc judging someone based on their race-whi- black, te, Hispanic or Asian-th- at is discrimination." However, some students at the U feel reverse discrimination is apparent when applying for medical ' or law school. "I "believe having a diverse student body is essential, but when a - Utah will also not be affected by Proposition 209 or the Supreme Court's decision. Nonetheless, rrunonty peer receives an acceptance letter months before the rest of the class, it seems to reflect biased behavior," said one medical school applicant. Another view brings together the according to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune, Sen. Orrin Hatch heads a committee to end affirmative action, regardless of his apparent concern for women and minorities in Utah. However, if a proposition eventually did come to Utah, Joseph Gallegos interests of both minorities with those of the majority. "It is certainly true that white maleness has long been an unfair source of power. But the sin of white male power is precisely its use of race and gender, as a source of entitlement" wrote Shelby Steele, an African American author in his essay, The Recoloring knows of Campus Life." Although Proposition 209 has little effect on the universities or job markets in Utah, the threat of a similar proposition is being considered. The U has not only a legal obligation to affirmative action but have also taken a public stand in its support, according to Loveridge. marked their ballot against the proposition, it passed anyway. s "The more than vote is indicative that people in Berkeley support affirmative action," said council member Dona Spring. "We will try to uphold what people want, but still hot jeopardize state funding." Although Berkeley claims to have never used a quota system, the number of accepted minority students diminished. Of the 14 students who were accepted, there is only one in "The U, as a contractor for two-third- employment and employing 50 or more people, is still under law to have an affirmative action program," Loveridge said. The laws in believe having a diverse student bod is WI essential, but when a attendance. Tom Loveridge is optimistic about the idea of ending affirmative action. "Perhaps it will be a good thing, provided we visit the idea and retool it We should not turn our backs on affirmative action." minority peer receives an acceptance letter months before the rest of the class, it seems Professor Leonard Beckum at Duke University agrees. "Whatever the Supreme Court rules, colleges and universities will find other strategies for carrying on the legacy of affirmative action." duc to reflect biased behavior." - MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICANT Discrimination and the College In 1986 a black student at of University Massachusetts was beaten over an argument about the World Series that turned into a racial bashing. At Dartmouth College, editors of the Dartmouth Review harassed a black professor in his lecture hall. At Yale University in 1988, a swastika and the words "white power" were painted on the African American cultural center. At the University of Wisconsin at Madison, members of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity held a mock slave auction where pledges painted their faces black and wore Afro wigs. These are all accounts from within the last 10 years in the United States by Shelby Steele, an African American author. With the threat of affirmative action ending across the country, minority groups,. including race, gender, sexual preference and disability, are taking stands for and against propositions regarding affirmative action that may come to the University of Utah. Although the decision of the University of California to disallow affirmative action has no direct effect on the students at the U, the subject is tender. Thomas Loveridge, assistant director of the Office of Equal Opportunity acknowledges the existence of discrimination at the U. However, the number of cases filed have decreased slighdy in the last year. "A lot of people who experience discrimination do not come forward. That is unfortunate," he said. Loveridge also discovered the rise in cases in any year gen- erally depends on society's woes. For example, when the. country was focused on the Anita HOI trial reported cases of sexual discrimination rose above other complaints. According to the essay, "Ethics and Academic Selection," minority students will be socially disadvantaged at any university. Nonetheless, students agree the conscious effort to uphold equality. U seems to be making a Mitchell Meich, a chemistry major originally from Cambodia feels he has not faced any discrimination from students or faculty at the U. "I feel the university treats minorities equally as the majority" Meich said. He does, however, recall difficulty he had while attending school in California. There were prejudices fin California, Then, Proposition 209 was passed, the scholarships and grants were no longer available." Some scholars say biological inequality has been nonexistent to he proven "There is no such thing as a racial gene or set of genes any more than there is such a thing as an intelligence gene or set of genes," according to IQjmd Race by Deborah Blum of the ' Sacramento Bee. . race-base- d of an alternative. "We need to better prepare children for the workforce. Individual attention is what is necessary. Unless we address it before the workforce level, we cannot ensure all children will benefit from a decent education." Other options were already discussed and implemented in California once the law was passed. Eighty percent of Berkeley voters Campus C. Loring Brace, an anthropologist at the University of r word with no basis in Michigan, claims "race is a biological reality." For those who face discrimination, however, this' comes as four-lette- little consolation. Nicola Riley, a medical student and the only African American in her class, gives credit to the U for its efforts in creating a diversified campus. "In past years, the U has had a reputation for the least number of female medical students. This year, it has risen to 30 percent where in other states it is usually above 50 percent," Riley said. r Ernest Bailey, also a medical student, agrees. fin "The competition for a spot medicine was fierce. There were simply more applicants who were white males." first-ye- ar first-yea- Loveridge said the U has written quota for admitting minorities, no but has diversity. a goal for see "discrimination on page 9 |
