PBPL 27 Affirmative Action in Higher Education

Since John F. Kennedy’s 1961 executive order to implement affirmative action policies, institutions of higher education have looked for ways to encourage minority and low-income students to matriculate. Some institutions, such as such as Harvard, UC Berkeley, UT Austin, and UMichigan, have experienced lawsuits against the policy’s implementation. As universities stress their desire for diverse, well-rounded, high achieving classes and continue to implement methods to attract highly qualified students, there is disagreement about which methods are both effective and fair. How can educational administrators, parents and community members work together to improve college access and increase equality? Do we still need to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are…treated…without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin," or has affirmative action outlived its original purpose? Has the college access gap widened or shrunk? Are students’ experiences on campus living up to the goal of equal opportunity? This course will explore the topic of affirmative action through some traditional classroom techniques (reading/ writing/ discussion) as well as experiential education techniques (such as creating a public policy portfolio project, having conversations with professionals who administer affirmative action at colleges and universities, and pitching proposals to a panel of policy experts). \f

The central work of the course involves creating a portfolio of venues to explore, design, publicize, and promote an affirmative action or anti-discrimination policy/program. Completing the course readings and discussions will develop the skills necessary to complete the portfolio. Throughout the course, students will work in small groups to develop a policy campaign using techniques from writing to video to speeches. This course design attempts to raise students’ awareness of the multiple communication modes for making a compelling and persuasive policy proposal. To create their portfolios, students must advance an issue, demonstrate the techniques they have used to study and develop it, and effectively persuade their audience of the policy/program’s value. Student groups will meet with the professors biweekly or more frequently (as needed) to stay on track and to get help with process and resources.

Instructor

Herman

Cross Listed Courses

GOVT 30.12

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:SOC; WCult:CI

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Policy Track Course

Offered

• Winter