Race As A College University Entrance Factor example essay topic

Using race as a college / university entrance factor has not proven to have a substantial negative effect towards racism, racial profiling or any other social enigma. Because it has established a greater racial variety in many American colleges / universities, we also must negate this bill to bar racial identification in public university admission for 5 main reasons: 1) Racial identification of students applying to colleges has established a greater racial variance in public colleges and universities 2) Racial identification of college applicants has not significantly led to racial hatred or prejudice in public universities 3) Many well-known colleges and universities back the use of race as a college admissions factor 4) Race is seldom the factor as to why a student may not be accepted to certain schools Firstly, Racial identification of students applying to colleges has established a greater racial variety in public colleges and universities. In a March 2003 study of racial dominance in American colleges and universities, Harvard had a minority population of about 11% compared to 1995 where they had only a 5.5% population of minorities. Since 1995, they have established a criterion for race as an admission factor. These such minority population increases are also seen in studies done at New York University, Carnegie Mellon University, Syracuse University, University of Texas Austin, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University where each university had an increase in minority population of at least 7% apiece. Texas Tech University, Florida State University, Duke University, UCLA, University of Phoenix and Columbia University all showed an increase of Minority populations exceeding 9.5% individually since 1993.

Furthermore, many university deans of admissions back the University of Michigan in its use of race as an entrance factor. Yale Dean of Admissions Richard Shaw said "I think [the University of Michigan's] foundation is solid. They " re look at different characteristics, which they value and diversity is one of those". This quote confirms that race is not used as a way to block, but to promote racial diversity in public educational facilities. Second, Ethnic identification of college applicants has not significantly led to racial hatred or prejudice in public universities. In the recent past, many universities have appealed to and have accepted a higher number of minority students due to considering race for admission.

Because of this use of race, many politicians have argued that this is a form of racism or racial profiling. This allegation is a sham. In fact, because of this admissions reform, the number of racial hate crimes has decreased significantly since the turn of the 21st century. Statistics prove that racial hate crimes have fallen by over 450 occurrences since 1998. This goes to show that because of a wider acceptance of minorities, racial crime rates have significantly dropped. Thirdly, Many well-known colleges and universities back the use of race as a college admissions factor.

In early 2003, many Universities have supported the University of Michigan in their landmark Supreme Court case. In truth, Yale officials argued in a Supreme Court brief February 17, 2003 that considering race in university admissions represents a compelling educational interest. In addition, Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Duke, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago collaborated with Yale on the brief that was filed in the University of Michigan affirmative action cases currently before the Supreme Court. While the case will not directly affect Yale's admissions policies, University officials said Yale among other universities have a vested interest in the outcome because of their own admissions goals thus can use any factors to uphold their objectives. Finally, ethnicity is seldom the factor as to why a student may not be accepted to certain schools.

Supporters of this bill see race as the reason many minority students are denied acceptance into a given public institution. In actuality, some universities see that race ought to be implemented into admissions. Yale General Counsel Dorothy Robinson said, "If [the Supreme Court] said under no circumstances could a college or university take an applicant's race into account in making an admissions system, that would change what we do because we look at the whole person and race is usually considered in a positive way". The brief did not take a position on the specifics of the University of Michigan's admissions policies, instead, it focused on the importance of admitting a diverse student body, Yale President Richard Levin said. Since it has been prevent through members of the admissions staff of certain universities, use of race in a public university is not always used in a negative fashion, it is foolish to conceive that the use of it is detrimental to certain students' admissions.