Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Iowa State professors say affirmative action still needed, important
By Julie Finelli
Iowa State Daily, Iowa State U.
February 19, 2009

From its beginnings in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, affirmative action has been and continues to be a controversial means of empowering minorities.

While the election of interracial Barack Obama has heightened spirits of minorities across the country, some among the Iowa State University faculty believe the necessity for affirmative action has not decreased.

“The need for affirmative action will be greater with Barack Obama as president,” said Gloria Jones-Johnson, professor of sociology — Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Because of the complexity of Obama’s background, Carla Espinoza, associate vice president of human resource services, said his election might push the awareness of the need for affirmative action to a higher level.

Dan Krier, assistant professor of sociology — Liberal Arts and Sciences, agreed and said Obama’s election doesn’t mean racial inequalities have been resolved.

“He kind-of worked with the oppressed black community without really entirely being part of it,” Krier said. “I think those who wish to support or strengthen race-based organizations can argue that his election isn’t any reason to claim that the pressure is off or the problems have been solved.”

Jones-Johnson said the policy of affirmative action has become a “perceptual quagmire,” and has created animosity and tension between minority groups.

“Does [affirmative action] really exist? I don’t think it really exists. Diversity keeps pitting groups against each other,” Jones-Johnson said. “It’s created a schism, income or class schism, racial/ethnic schism, national/international schism.”

Espinoza said affirmative action helps by assisting people who haven’t had equal access to preparation for the work force.

“Lyndon Johnson said in his speech when he signed [the Executive Order 11246] that you can’t expect anyone to start at the same line, be competitive, and finish a race when they’ve never been prepared. The whole purpose of affirmative action is to give people the opportunity, is to help in the preparation,” Espinoza said.

Jones-Johnson said, instead of valuing diversity, the goal of affirmative action has turned into benefits for the organization utilizing the policy because they get name recognition for being diverse. Organizations sometimes use the policy to their advantage instead of using it for its original purpose.

“So it’s not really a policy they’re following to help individuals as a group, it’s policies they’re following to make themselves look good — and it varies by the context,” she said.

One misconception is that affirmative action is used for the unqualified to move forward. Jones-Johnson said if the policy was being applied to people who were unqualified, there would be a more visible improvement among the educated minorities, particularly blacks.

The policy of affirmative action is being understood by some in a new way. Rather than being about race, sex, disability or veteran status, Espinoza said the policy should be about privilege.

Jones-Johnson said, similarly, that the new term for affirmative action is economics, not race.

“Affirmative action has benefited people who are positioned to take advantage of it, which usually means people who have middle-class, value-goes aspirations, strivings,” she said.

However, Krier said that race continues to be a factor, specifically in the black community.

The data of the Census Bureau of 2006 showed that the average black person’s income is approximately $23,000 less than the average white person’s income.

“Opposition to affirmative action is so strong... those who wish to find reasons for the elimination of affirmative action will be strengthened by the elections,” Krier said. “We have a long way to go in terms of racial inequality. I don’t see that trend changing.”

Within the ISU community, Espinoza said affirmative action is necessary to stay competitive with other schools when it comes to international perspectives and to prepare students to be internationally compatible by creating a diverse campus.

Minority enrollment over the last 10 years

Undergraduate college

1998 — 1,439 minority students enrolled, approximately 6.7 percent of total enrollment

2009 — 1,831 minority students enrolled, approximately 9 percent of total enrollment

Graduate college

1998 — 248 minority students enrolled, approximately 5.9 percent of total enrollment

2009 — 323 minority students enrolled, approximately 7 percent of total enrollment

— Numbers include U.S. Citizens and immigrants and exclude international students. Information from the Office of the Registrar.

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