1Affirmative Action in College admissionsSociology 220Prof. Pamela OliverPamela Oliver Sociology 220Using Race: Two Kinds of Pro Arguments which imply different interest groups & values Disadvantage: Students from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds are disadvantaged, deserve compensation Diversity: The school needs to be more diverse for the benefit of everyone These two kinds of arguments are different from each other in their policy implications and interests, values, rhetoric, relevant “facts”Pamela Oliver Sociology 220PRO-Diversity arguments Inherent educational value in a culturally mixed environment (Value) Similar to wanting a diversity of majors, talents: you don’t want all math majors or all violin players The majority benefits from diversity. Everyone should learn how to function in a multicultural society. (Value) Implied Vision: Everyone has equal educational opportunity, but people are distributed across schools to make them all equally diversePamela Oliver Sociology 220Diversity debates Value of racial/ethnic diversity As good in itself (value) As promoting social integration (factual claim) Whether it is beneficial to the majority to experience diversity As a value, end in itself As factual claim, helps in business etc. Ignores issue of competition for slots in selective schools Issue of why & whether some schools are “better” Treatment of international students & non-disadvantaged minorities Adds to diversity Not counted in “disadvantage” considerationsPamela Oliver Sociology 220Go to college views, then returnPamela Oliver Sociology 220Disadvantage & UNDERREPRESENTATIONPamela Oliver Sociology 220Individually DisadvantagedUnderrepresented Groups2Individual disadvantage argument Ignore race-ethnicity for now Individual disadvantage argument: your grades & school quality are affected by parents’ education & income, obscures your true merit Educational system should not just perpetuate inequality but help to correct it. NOTE: Value claim. Not everyone agrees. Some think it is good for elites to be able to preserve their children’s position in society.Pamela Oliver Sociology 220Language & rhetoric Should disadvantaged people or people from disadvantaged groups be given an advantage in college admissions? VS Should people from privileged groups be allowed to benefit from their privilege in college admissions?Pamela Oliver Sociology 220Disadvantage & UNDERREPRESENTATIONPamela Oliver Sociology 220Individually DisadvantagedUnderrepresented GroupsInterest groups Advantaged members of advantaged groups Especially affluent Whites from privileged educational backgrounds Disadvantaged members of disadvantaged groups Especially Blacks, Latinos, American Indians from poorer public schools (and S.E. Asians in WI) Disadvantaged individuals who are members of advantaged groups Especially “first generation” and low income Whites Also “first generation” and low income Asians Advantaged individuals who are members of disadvantaged groups Especially Blacks, Latinos, American Indians from advantaged families & neighborhoods Non-disadvantaged minorities Especially Asians: concerns that college admissions favor Whites over AsiansPamela Oliver Sociology 220Individual Advantage Issues - 1 Two students, Alpha and Beta both got a 26 on the ACT (or 1200 on the SAT), which is roughly 75th – 80th percentile, both have GPA’s of 3.8 with comparable courses at the same large public high school, both have comparable activities, both wrote adequate but not outstanding essays So Alpha and Beta are “the same” in qualifications (Assume they are the same race. We are just looking at qualifications.)Pamela Oliver Sociology 220Individual Advantage -2 Alpha’s parents have master’s & PhD with professional occupations. Alpha took summer enrichment courses and took private test preparation courses that helped raise her score on the ACT/SAT. Beta’s parents are a high school drop out & a high school graduate who hold blue collar jobs. Beta worked at Burger King summers & after school for four years and could not afford a test preparation course. Questions: Who probably has a higher level of native ability & intelligence? Who is more “deserving” in terms of merit and achievement?Pamela Oliver Sociology 2203Individual disadvantage - 3 Proponents: overcoming disadvantage is, itself, a sign of merit in calculating “qualification”. I.e. you should get “points” for being disadvantaged. Emphasis on opportunities for disadvantaged, assumes the advantaged will do OK anyway. Opponents: advantage has created true merit that should be rewarded (value) OR “It’s not my fault I’m privileged. Why should I have to lose MY place?” (interest) Factual dispute: whether disadvantaged people have the capacity to do well in selective schools. Interests: do you think you personally will benefit or lose from a given scheme?Pamela Oliver Sociology 220“Objective” admission criteria and interests Factors affected by school quality & context GPA Class rank # of AP, IB & enrichment courses taken Being from a “good school” with a rigorous curriculum Being a “school leader” or having an extensive record of community service SAT or ACT scores Tests that emphasize vocabulary or subtleties of grammar that are easier for people whose parents speak “educated English” Extent to which the school directly prepares students for the tests Ability to afford private test prep courses Factors affected by personal advantage International travel or other “broadening” experiences Opportunity to develop advanced musical, athletic or other extraordinary talent in some area (Athletic opportunities vary by sport) Overcoming disadvantage Being from a group that is underrepresented at that school An effective social policy that improves education in high school for disadvantaged people to raise their test scores & academic preparation to be comparable to those from advantaged peoplePamela Oliver Sociology 220Disadvantage & UNDERREPRESENTATIONPamela Oliver Sociology 220Individually DisadvantagedUnderrepresented GroupsGroup interest examples Minority communities “need” more highly-educated people: this is a social good
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