Affirmative Action Policies at Public Universities

I believe that the diversity argument is the most applicable to our topic of discussion. Regarding affirmative action policies at public universities. It presents a valid reason as to why people of color are given a slight advantage in the admissions process at public universities. Schools look for people of color because it contributes to an enriched education. When you have people from several backgrounds in your community rather than one particular race. It helps students understand various perspectives of life from a socio-economic standpoint and it helps mold them into well-rounded individuals who are not close-minded. They are able to learn from these peers by understanding how their experiences contribute to their success, which may differ, from any of their own experiences. For example, if a person of color from a school in inner city Boston is selected to attend Stonehill College, then it is very likely that their life experiences and culture strongly differ from a white student who went to school in the suburbs attending Stonehill. The reason is because of the tremendous differences in their respective environments, which could lead to different learning styles, or differences in how they process information. This argument is justified because people of color are not the ones telling the schools that they need more people of color. That decision is based solely on what the school feels will best represent the institution. Many public universities are accepting more applicants of color because they want to enrich every student’s learning experience and because they are in favor of having a diverse community.

Some people believe that the better argument for having affirmative action in universities. Is the Integration Argument. This states that in order to have a better country and broad variety of leaders in our future, we must include students from all types of races, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds. I do not see this argument as justified because accepting the students based on the fact that they may become future leaders is merely a speculation. There is greater risk in backlash with this argument because it is not an enrichment of the student’s education. It just has the hope that some people of color will come out of school to enter leadership roles in our society which will not always be the case.

I believe that the diversity argument is more justified because it does enrich the whole education of the student. When people of different cultures and backgrounds come together at a university. You are forced to at least gain some understanding of other cultures because that is what surrounds you on a daily basis. There is less of a gamble to the effects of the diversity argument compared to the integration argument because accepting people based on their differences in race, ethnicity or culture does not guarantee that they become a future leader and if that is the case then people can argue why were they accepted in the first place. It is not guaranteed that a student’s education will be enriched because of a diverse community, but it is much harder to blindly go through a college experience without understanding the people around you. Both arguments have potential to have a good outcome; I believe that the diversity argument is the best bet for our affirmative action justification in our society.

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