Reporter Volume 26, No.8 October 27, 1994

Affirmative Action in Action
Editor:
The Reporter reports that President Greiner received a letter which
charges that there was "an element of (reverse) racism" in a recent
appointment in advisement. He will not deign to respond to this
letter. That is a pity, for affirmative action poses difficult issues
both in a generic sense and in specific applications. It is not below
the dignity of Cornel West, in Race Matters, or of the Supreme Court,
to address these very issues.
	The uncontroversial aspect of affirmative action tells us to
cast a wide net: The old boys' network is no guarantee that the best
person for the position will be identified. Thus, openings should be
widely advertised in a wide variety of outlets.
	Affirmative action is more. It prescribes that hiring
decisions be based on merit, but with special consideration for
minority status (of race and/or sex). This is to some extent in
reaction to discriminatory hiring practices against the very groups
now singled out for special consideration; but there is also a
positive motivation, in acknowledging that minorities have something
extra to offer by way of role models and examples for others to
emulate, and by diversifying the human experience in education and the
work place.
	It is this 'something extra' that will, on occasion, result in
an appointment of a minority candidate even if that candidate may fall
somewhat shy of the merits of another applicant. This other applicant
will then feel discriminated against, for it is not his fault he is a
white male. Race matters. That is the mandate of the affirmative
action law.
	In the instant case five candidates were identified by the
search committee, which included students, as meeting the
qualifications for two advertised advisement positions. They were
ranked, and the two (temporary) incumbents ended up in the two top
spots. One of these, a minority woman, was appointed to the permanent
position by the administration.
	The frontrunner, a white man, who had held the temporary
position for 1-1/2 years, to everybody's satisfaction and sustained
applause by the advisees, was not appointed. Instead, a black male
candidate on the list, with impressive credentials and even more
experience, got the nod.
	On the evidence, this successful candidate is arguably the
most qualified, period. It is also possible that the "extra" provided
by affirmative action considerations tipped the scales. If so, there
was indeed an element of reverse discrimination. That would not imply
that the decision can be faulted. It would imply that affirmative
action works the way it is supposed to.
	Having said that, let me end with two tangentially connected
asides. First, it would appear that truly stellar advisement staff is
hard to get, and a plausible approach might have been to free up the
resources to create an additional position. Advisement is most
assuredly understaffed as it is. (Yes, I know about opportunity
costs.)
	Second, part of the frustration the students feel is that,
while in the loop to advise, their advice is peremptorily overruled. A
bit more diplomacy would have been useful.
John Boot
October 13, 1994