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- Is positive discrimination a good way for universities to increase diversity?
Is positive discrimination a good way for universities to increase diversity?
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in this discussion.
I believe universities must increase diversity, by any means necessary.
Due to constant discrimination of minorities throughout history, certain people were not given the same advantages as others. Therefore, it is only fair that minorities are given advantages now, so the playing field can be leveled. Also, I believe "positive discrimination" is a poor term for "affirmative action", and it should not be used.
Yes NoisyAlva89I believe that there is a line that needs to be drawn.
I believe that there is a clear difference between positive discrimination and negative discrimination. With positive discrimination, you are able to choose for yourself who you will associate with as friends. With negative discrimination, you essentially harbor ill feelings or harmful emotions towards others where you might find out later on that you were in the wrong for even acting negatively towards another. However, since this is about universities positively discriminating to increase diversity, the whole diversity issue should be looked at in views of educational diversity based upon the merits of the individual student[s] not based on race, culture or ethnicity. There is a lot of misunderstanding going on this country about discrimination. I believe the real question should be asked is is this a question of discrimination or prejudice?
Yes AnonymousPositive discrimination can help universities establish diverse student bodies to provide a rich, multi-cultural academic environment.
The academy provides a setting for scholarly discourse. That discourse is fuller, more complete, and has more opportunities for the academic growth of all students if the population is culturally and ethnically diverse. It is in everyone's best interests to have this diverse community of intellectual discourse. Therefore positive discrimination can be very helpful in creating this community.
Yes baltute
Not having a meritocracy is one of the key failings of 21st century society.
In a poll of classmates my senior year in high school, 29/30 students said affirmative action should be abolished in terms of college admissions. The issue is largely rich versus poor, but it is instead framed as a race debate. There's already a large segregation with a "diverse" population at universities, and to deny that would be to fill quotas.
No PastoralAgustin40I believe someone should be admitted to a university based only on their academic merits, not race.
I believe in equality of opportunity and, as such, I find it hard to swallow that someone is accepted into a university, when their transcripts and extracurricular activities should not qualify them. I go to a diverse public university, and understand the reasoning for doing it this way, but find it unfair for the person who doesn't get accepted, because there isn't enough room because of this.
No AboriginalKing28Schools should choose students based solely on their grades, test scores, and applications, because basing it on ethnicity, race, or gender is wrong.
It should not matter whether a student is a specific race, ethnicity, gender or social class. They should only get accepted to a university based on their academic or athletic merits. Just because specific minority groups are under-represented at a university, it does not mean they should get priority enrollment. They need to have the academics to back it up, and then they should get accepted, without looking at their gender, race, or ethnicity.
No TMaciasNo, because I think the issue should not have to be relevant to begin with.
I get so sick and tired of hearing about discrimination. In my opinion, the matter could be put to rest, if people would stop using it as an excuse for their own needs. Everyone has the same rights in this country and, in my opinion, when programs are put into place for a certain race, then it is discrimination, because it does not allow everyone the same opportunity. How is it still not discrimination when a program only allows one particular race?
No SlipArnalDiscrimnation, good or bad, is still discriminaition
whether it is good discrimination or bad discrimination, its still discrimination and having that sort of thing at universities wont help it because it will be considered to be truly bad and no university wants a bad reputations from something that was taken wrong, so whether bad or good, it shouldnt be allowed
No AnonymousNo, because discrimination is never positive.
If anyone is openly allowed to discriminate, for any reason, it defies all laws and regulations against such a thing. If a school is an a prominently white, Mexican, or an area where mostly African-Americans live, then of course those schools may have more of that race enrolled there. To discriminate against a race which may be local, just to diversify your university, is ridiculous. Imagine how one would feel, if they thought they only got into a university because they are the "token white guy" or the "token Mexican". It is absurd. People worry so much about diversity, when instead they should just deal with the applications they have and pick the best ones, period.
No RodFreakDiscrimination is wrong all around.
Discrimination of any kind is wrong whether it be positive or negative. Universities should embrace all cultures just as we as Americans must. This country was made up of many cultures and groups and we must not forget that. If universities were to start discriminating it would set a bad example, and who is to say where it will stop.
No l0nerkatz999Vive la Difference!
The only criteria that should apply to universities is universality. All people should be admitted without any discrimination other than intellectual. And I mean all people. This includes left-handers, blondes, blue-eyed, women, tall people and all others who differ only in their genetic make-up.
No AnonymousI oppose, universities should not enforce positive diversity
Students of all kinds should be admitted on standards of qualification, not on what they look like. Creating diversity is far from a negative thing but when a student can be eliminated from a farther education because of it, it makes the process a little more difficult to support.
No AnonymousI oppose universities to use positive discrimination to increase diversity.
I don't believe there is a such thing as "positive discrimination". Discrimination is a negative attitude and I don't see in any way that it would be considered positive. Discrimination within a university or anywhere else for that matter has been proven to segregate people from each other based on certain beliefs or cultures. Universities should teach students to act together and be unified.
No 5h4rdMyrAny sort of discrimination is negative, and should not be considered as a method to increase diversity in universities.
There is no such thing as "positive discrimination." Universities do not need to resort to racism to increase diversity. The university staff should be able to come up with a more positive, less racist way to increase diversity.
No MarIMiIkI do not believe that positive discrimination is fair because it may exclude some of the best students from the university.
I am against positive discrimination being used in the university admission system. I think that all students should be considered equally and those who meet the academic standards as relate to SAT scores and grade point average should get the benefit of their achievements. It seems that positive discrimination is an anti-equality policy since I believe that equality means that we are all considered under the same rules.
No R0d0FerdyPositive or negative discrimination is not good way for universities to increase diversity.
No, I totally disagree that positive discrimination is a good way for universities to increase diversity. Any discrimination only creates racism and barriers in the smooth flow of any society, organization or any nation. I feel that universities are places of learning, so there should not be any kind of discrimination.
No I0rFashionDiscrimination of any kind generally has the opposite effect and reduces diversity.
Rather than change the rules to rectify a perceived injustice, universities should create admission policies that are neutral, giving everyone the same chance to gain admittance. Once you've changed the rules to favor one group over another, there's no end. Every group will demand special treatment, further distorting the admission process. People should be admitted to college based on their ability to do the work and their desire to complete the program and obtain a degree, not because they're a member of one group or another.
No laceymarya
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