The Case for Affirmative Action on Campus: Concepts of Equity, Considerations for Practice

* Marshalls the arguments for affirmative action* Offers strategies for actionWhy is affirmative action under attack? What were the policy’s original purposes, and have they been achieved? What are the arguments being arrayed against it? And–for all stakeholders concerned about equity and diversity on campus–what’s the way forward, politically, legally, and practically?The authors explore the historical context, the philosophical and legal foundations of affirmative action, present contemporary attitudes to the issue on and off campus, and uncover the tactics and arguments of its opponents. They conclude by offering strategies to counter the erosion of affirmative action, change the basis of the discourse, and coordinate institutional support to foster inclusive college environments and multi-ethnic campus communities.This book analyzes the ideological and legal construction of colorblind legislation that has led to the de facto exclusion of people of color from institutions of higher education. It addresses the role of the courts in affecting affirmative action in higher education as a workplace and place of study. It documents the under-representation of collegians of color and presents research on student opinion on race-based policies at two- and four-year institutions. It details the pervasiveness of the affirmative action debate across educational sectors and the status of race among myriad factors considered in college admissions. Finally, it considers affirmative action as a pipeline issue and in the light of educational policy.

Eboni M. Zamani-Gallaher is an affiliate of the Office of Community College Leadership and Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Education Policy Organization Leadership (EPOL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Formerly she served as Professor and Coordinator of the Community College Leadership Program in the Department of Leadership and Counseling at Eastern Michigan University. She held prior appointments at West Virginia University, ACT Inc., and Mathematica Policy Research (MPR), Inc. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and M.S. in General Experimental Psychology from Western Illinois University. She earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration with a specialization in Community College Leadership and Evaluation from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Zamani-Gallaher’s teaching, research, and consulting activities largely include psychosocial adjustment and transition of marginalized collegians, transfer, access policies, and women in leadership. Her work includes coauthoring The Case for Affirmative Action on Campus: Concepts of Equity, Considerations for Practice (Sterling, VA: Stylus), coediting African American Females: Addressing Challenges and Nurturing the Future (Michigan State University Press) and The State of the African American Male: A Courageous Conversation (Michigan State University Press). She is coeditor of the ASHE Reader on Organization & Governance in Higher Education, 6th edition and ASHE Reader on Community Colleges, 4th edition (Pearson Publications). Zamani-Gallaher previously served as president of the Council for the Study of Community Colleges, an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges and on the ACPA Commission for Student Development in Two-year Institutions.

Denise O’Neil Green is an Assistant Professor in the Educational Psychology Department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Senior Research Associate of the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research.

David O. Stovall is Assistant Professor of Policy Studies in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

M. Christopher Brown II is the 18th President of Kentucky State University and Founder of the Atwood Institute on Race, Education, and the Democratic Ideal. Dr. Brown is the author/editor of 17 books and monographs. He is the author or co-author of more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and publications related to education and society. A recipient of the Association for the Study of Higher Education’s Promising Scholar/Early Career Award, the AERA Committee on Scholars of Color Early Career Contribution Award, the Philip C. Chinn Book Award from the National Association for Multicultural Education, and the Association of Teacher Educators Distinguished Educator Award, he has lectured and/or presented research in various countries on six continents – Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.