Legal decisions about affirmative action in higher education do more than impact how admissions policies are structured. The discourse produced in these decisions structures how race is talked about, understood, and enacted in the context of higher education and beyond. However, critique of affirmative action rhetoric in the legal realm tends to…

How does education affect racial attitudes? Past studies focus almost exclusively on whites' attitudes toward blacks, neglecting important minority populations. This study extends previous research by analyzing the effects of education on beliefs about racial stereotypes, discrimination, and affirmative action policies among whites, Asians,…

This is an initial and exploratory comment on the pilot phase of a study into adolescent female white identity and socio-sexual desire in post-apartheid South Africa. In the course of this pilot it became apparent that historical issues of race and racism are openly discussed in these girls' classrooms. Yet, despite these everyday interactions the…

This article presents an interview with Ronald Takaki, a prolific and respected author and a successful teacher who wrote a number of important histories that explore the cultural diversity of the United States of America, including "From Different Shores: Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity in America" (1994), "Strangers from a…

Investigated black-white differences in beliefs about affirmative action, examining conversations among small groups of friendly acquaintances (either all black, all white, or mixed). Cultural belief in the person as an individual transcended race. Most of the black groups and half of the white groups believed society fell far short of true equal…

Analyzed undergraduate and graduate enrollment trends to study whether Black gains in higher education have resulted in harm to Whites. Concludes that Black gains have not come at the expense of Whites, and suggests that gains among Asians, Latinos, and nonresident aliens better explain the slower rate of White gains. Contains 28 references.…

Examines effects of financial aid on college entry patterns of Blacks, Whites, and Hispanics. Uniform financial aid awards probably increase the representation of Blacks in higher education. For Hispanics, however, family and academic background variables may outweigh the financial aid factor in the decision to enter college. (DM)

If diversity is a goal of higher education, it is time to shift emphasis from the faculty search and hiring process to preparation of minority students for academic success. This requires (1) taking more direct responsibility for problems surrounding minority student achievement and (2) assessing whether affirmative action achieves desired…

In the early stages of higher education desegregation, there was a disproportionate shifting of black students to historically white institutions. Today, it is estimated that about 82% of all black students in colleges and universities are enrolled in traditionally white institutions. As desegregation proceeded, the conviction grew that it was to…

Presents the views of four white graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley who do not support the recent elimination of affirmative action policies for job applicants and student admissions. Their opinions argue that white men should support equity in education and society. (SLD)

Notes that the affirmative action effort has taken longer than five years to empirically reduce sex and racial discriminatory practices in higher education, the enforcement effort has been slow, and higher education has stopped growing. (Author/JP)

This paper examines the use of racial and ethnic preferences in college admissions, focusing on the extent of their use and their impact on the careers of the intended beneficiaries in light of the California Civil Rights Initiative, which is designed to end such preferences. A study by Kane (1995) found that at the most selective four-year…

The author discusses the steady increase in white student enrollment at historically black colleges. These students are generally categorized as: (1) being older; (2) having completed military service; (3) having little interest in student activities; (4) being married; (5) being transfer students; and (6) attending as part-time commuter students.…

The United States Supreme Court has had a significant role in the exploration and definition of affirmative action in this country. No more so than in the recent decisions related to the University of Michigan admissions cases. This article will explore the historical role of the U.S. Supreme Court and the decisions that this entity has made in…

Affirmative action programs in U.S. medical schools have facilitated the entry and graduation of ethnic minority students. The number of Black physicians has doubled over the past decade. There have been even greater proportional increases in the number of Mexican-American, mainland Puerto Rican and Native American physicians. There is some…