Affirmative aAction

8 Pages 1956 Words

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Following, currently there are two cases concerning policies at the University of Michigan undergraduate and law schools that may eventually reach the Supreme Court since federal courts in Michigan have reached conflicting decisions. “The university’s officials say that it is no accident that racial and ethnic minorities account for more than 25 percent of its 36,000 students, a statistic that makes this the most diverse of any large institution of higher learning in the Midwest. The mix results from aggressive recruitment of minorities and, in some cases advantages to black and Hispanic applicants in the highly competitive admissions process. Disproportionate advantages, contend come critics, who note that for example, the admissions point system gives 20 points for being black or Hispanic and only 12 points for scoring a perfect 1600 on the S.A.T. The institution’s policy is now a target of two lawsuits by a total of three rejected white applicants, all tur!
ned down, they say, because of their race. Michigan, however, is fighting back by saying that it is only seeking a more diverse environment to provide a better education.
The incomplete and vague decisions by the courts in these cases have brought about much disagreement and controversy over this issue in our society today.
Supporters of the idea of affirmative action point to past discrimination and argue that we must find a way to compensate for the years of disadvantage. They believe that preferential admissions are needed to overcome the effects of past discrimination and they say that studies have proven so. “Statistical studies show that the policy has improved racial diversity not only in the classroom ...