The affirmative action concept developed out of case law as the courts decided passive attempts at desegregating schools failed to achieve results and out of civil rights legislation as administrative agencies adopted the court-established standards. A major challenge of affirmative action plans is to prevent court-approved goals from becoming…

An action study was undertaken at the University of Vermont to increase the number of women students in Industrial Education (IE) programs within the Vocational Education and Technology Department. The first objective was to increase the number of women students taking introductory technical courses. Objective 2 was to increase the number of women…

This paper briefly summarizes issues in affirmative action covered by the conference papers preceding it in the same volume. First, the definition of affirmative action adopted by the United Nations at an international convention in 1969 is reviewed. Based on this definition, the countries covered in the conference papers are classified as…

In this speech the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice discusses the impact of racial and sex discrimination on the nation. The author reflects on the high costs of discrimination, financially and socially, in terms of riot damage, underutilization of the work force, crime, and poor education. In…

Help with the complex legal and ethical issues related to affirmative action programs is provided by several American Library Association (ALA) groups and agencies. Conference activities are sponsored by the Public Library Association, various minority caucuses, task forces of the Social Responsibilities Round Table, and committees of the Library…

In order to provide women educational researchers with equal opportunities, the author proposes that women's affirmative action plans with respect to educational research be instituted, and that the American Educational Research Association (AERA) play a central role in their institution. What is necessary in a women's affirmative action plan for…

Describes the effort the state of Alabama has exerted to construct and use content-oriented tests valid for ranking applicants for employment in the state merit system. (IRT)

Presents exerts from a question and answer session with Robert Berdahl, chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, presented to the National Press Club in 1999. Title of the talk was "The Public University in the Twenty-First Century." In particular, questions addressed the problem of working toward diversity following the…

"Affirmative action" is the term typically used to refer to two contrasting values: the value of equal opportunity and the value of equal results. The Justice Department under the Reagan Administration, however, draws a clear distinction between the two, and is committed to the "original" meaning of affirmative action. That is,…

In this transcript of a radio program about the Bakke case, a news team covers the following topics: (1) Vernon Jordan's admonitions to use restraint in assessing the implications of Bakke; (2) blacks' suspicions about affirmative action; (3) Robert McKay's thoughts on the meaning of Bakke; (4) McGeorge Bundy's thoughts on the Harvard Admissions…

This document gives in broad outline the contours of the notion of affirmative goals and timetables, as adopted in the Four Agency Agreement developed by the Justice Department, EEOC, the Department of Labor, and the Civil Service Commission. Two appellate court decisions dealing with the issue of affirmative hiring relief are discussed. (MJM)

The North Texas State University's Women's Center was designed to define and identify the needs of women in the NTSU Community and to encourage and facilitate institutional and community response to those perceived needs. David T. Borland, consultant, advised the organizing group about the clientele who were to be served, the available resources…

Black Americans must begin to project their humanistic values within the political context of America. The majority of Blacks are still "have nots" and Black politics must address this problem. (Author/WI)

Clarifies some of the conceptual, empirical, and normative issues that have been raised by criticisms of affirmative action. Indicates that the issues are more complex and the criticisms less decisive than some commentators seem to realize; the case against affirmative action has not been made in any rigorous sense. (Author/IRT)

A study was conducted to obtain information on the numbers and percentages of females and minorities in the administrations and faculties of public two-year colleges. The study involved a canvass of 33 public two-year colleges and a survey sent to all 50 state directors of public two-year colleges. Study findings, based on a composite of the…