Panelists answered the following: Should race play a factor in admissions to public universities?
Mary Zanger: “Yes because I think admissions should mirror the demographics of the communities in which the public universities serve. The culture and history of our state has been one of diversity. From early pre-statehood the Spanish Californeos, Mexican Rancheros, Native Indians, and Gringos to present-day Asians, Latinos, South Pacific Islanders, African Americans, and Whites and all who have created our state need justice and equality.”
Marty Richman: “No, unless there is a finding of discrimination against the applicants – certainly not for the nonsense of an indefinable diversity. If you can justify racial preferences in public university admissions you can justify them or religious or ethnic preferences for every other public and quasi-public selection or institution. This argument has been used against Jews for many decades in claims that there are ‘too many Jews’ in the teaching profession, the media, banking, and too many in college, etc. Now we hear that there are too many Asians, or that they work and study too hard. Giving racial, religious or ethnic preferences should have died long ago in America, unfortunately it is still a spoils system – only the terms and illegitimate justifications have changed.”
Jim West: “I was one of the California voters who answered ‘no’ to that question in 1996. Seventeen years has not changed my opinion.”
Ruth Erickson: “No, your university admissions or employment should be about your qualifications and ability, not your race.”
Nants Foley: “Admission should be based solely on the qualifications of the individual. In a perfect world, of course!”
Richard Place: “The problem with minorities is they are too serious about their schooling. They study so hard they raise the grading curve and we don’t have time to party.”
Richard Herrera: “No but I believe a students’ life experience and ability to overcome obstacles should be considered.”
