2008 Fall Critical Thinking Research Topic: Affirmative Action

Please add findings below following the template on the Fall 2008 Critical Thinking Research Topics page.

Group members should also work to keep the page well organized. -Alfino

History

The Origin of Affirmative Action

link http://www.now.org/nnt/08-95/affirmhs.html

Reconstruction This website gives an overview of what helps to make up the basis of Affirmative Action. The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments of the Constitution. It deals with the Plessy vs. Ferguson trial. The trial of Brown vs. Board of Education. Affirmative Action was first introduced in John F. Kennedy's Executive order 10925 speech. Acts passed in support of Affirmative Action included the 1964 Civil rights act and the 1965 voters right act. It also briefly includes a section of why people are against it. The source of publication came from the National Organization of Women.'

Evan

Affirmative Action History

Linkhttp://www.infoplease.com/spot/affirmative1.html---

Reconstruction This website gave a specific outline of different trials and happenings that occurred during the rising period of Affirmative Action. The title is Affirmative Action History. It goes in depth of explaining the meaning and purpose of Affirmative Action. I found the time line to be the most helpful.

Evan

Affirmative Action

Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmative_action---

Reconstruction This website covers a diverse group of subjects all relating to Affirmative Action. The subjects include international policies, controversy, and implementation worldwide. As we all know, Wikipedia does not always have the most reliable sources due to the fact that people are able to edit the information. This particular website search gave warning to misleading information due to discriminating views dealing with this subject.

Evan

Should Affirmative Action policies, which give preference based on minority status be eliminated

Link-http://www.balancedpolitics.org/affirmative_action.htm---

Reconstruction-I found this website to be especially helpful due to the fact that it lists out a number of pros and cons for the purpose of Affirmative Action. It gives an in depth definition of Affirmative Action and then it goes into describing why people are for it and why people are against it. The title of the article was,

Evan

Court Cases

Affirmative Action in College Admission

'Link http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/affirm.html#summary

Reconstruction This website deals with the law suit that the University of Michigan was faced with dealing with the undergraduate acceptance process. It covers the entire lawsuit, the defendants, the plaintiff, it gives the University of Michigan's acceptance process and standards. Also, it shows the news coverage that was going on during the time of the trial. Also, a helpful tip that I found was it gave examples and sites of other law suits that were similar to this law suit. This site came form the University of Michigan's website.---

Evan

Affirmative-action arguments reveal divided Supreme Court

Citation Allen Pusey. "Affirmative-action arguments reveal divided Supreme Court." (n.d.). TOPICsearch. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tth&AN=2W72106875252&site=ehost-live>.

Summary This article will give you a good idea of the Michigan court case. It gives a bit of background followed by reasons from both the students and from the university.

"Race, because of the Constitution, should never be a factor," Kolbo said.

Maureen Mahoney defended the Michigan law school admissions process as being highly individualized. She said race was only one of many factors-such as job experience, socioeconomic status and leadership potential-used to evaluate applicants to the school. She said the law school, rated as one of the nation's best, admits only qualified students and has no interest in admitting a minority who might not succeed.

Matt Theisen

New Twists Mark the Debate over Texas' Top 10-Percent Plan

Link Schmidt, Peter. "New Twists Mark the Debate Over Texas' Top 10-Percent Plan." Chronicle of Higher Education 54.39 (06 June 2008): A20-A20. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=32538064&site=ehost-live>.

Summary/Reconstruction This article reflects the court case in 2004 with the University of Texas. It mentions the outcome of the case and then purposes the question "Did Texas lawmakers come up with a workable alternative to such policies when they adopted a measure that required public colleges there to admit any young state resident in the top 10th of his or her high-school class?" This article explains the findings of the case, its lawsuit, adjustment (if any), and described the 10-percent plan.

Stacey

U. of Texas Not Required to Review Applicants

Link Schmidt, Peter. "U. of Texas Not Required to Review 2 Applicants." Chronicle of Higher Education 54.40 (13 June 2008): A23-A23. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=32993477&site=ehost-live>.

Summary/Reconstruction This is simply a small source that deals with the U. of Texas again but is more recent and explains that a federal judge has refused to re-evaluate 2 white students who sued the institution claiming that the admission policies were discriminatory. I thought this was interesting even though it is very short.

Stacey

Professional Views

Obama's Fumble on Affirmative Action

Link Yolanda Young. "Obama's fumble on affirmative action." USA Today (n.d.). Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=J0E131200146008&site=ehost-live>.

Summary/Reconstruction I thought this article might be helpful because it is dealing with the two presidential candidates and their debates on affirmative action. Also, another argument is brought up that expresses affirmative action is not going to be the long-term solution problem or race in America. This would be a good source for that argument of our topic.

Stacey

Articles that are agree with Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action's success to Minorities

Link Santiago, Roberto. "Affirmative Action Is Essential to the Success of Hispanics." Current Controversies: Racism. Ed. Jennifer A. Hurley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. INLAN - Gonzaga University Library. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010060214&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=gonzagaufoley&version=1.0>.

Summary This article offers a look at the opposing viewpoint the Affirmative action. Sure, I do think affirmative action should be stopped, but I have never seen the other side of the story for affirmative action. So here it is, a great way to look at how affirmative action helps the Hispanics. This article identifies key ideas, including: qualified minority, how affirmative action makes a difference, economic advantages, and the equal opportunity act.

Jeremy Lazzara

Articles that disagree with Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action is Racist

Citation Billingsley, K.L. "Affirmative Action Is Racist." Current Controversies: Racism. Ed. Jennifer A. Hurley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Opposing Viewpoints Critical Thinking. Gale. INLAN - Gonzaga University Library. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010060213&source=gale&srcprod=OVRT&userGroupName=gonzagaufoley&version=1.0>.

Summary This article gives a good idea on how affirmative action actually hinders society rather then helping through equal employment. It also talks about how affirmative action is "seeking new victims" by protecting the rights of transsexuals and cross dressers. I think that this article has some good information and would be a good resource to look at while learning more about affirmative action.

Josh Petosa

Possible Solutions

Against our bests interests: An ambivalent view of affirmative action

Link Schmidt, Peter. "U. of Texas Not Required to Review 2 Applicants." Chronicle of Higher Education 54.40 (13 June 2008): A23-A23. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 6 Nov. 2008 <http://proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=32993477&site=ehost-live>.

Summay/Reconstruction This article gives perspectives of different people and what they have to say about affirmative action. Also, it gives a brief history of affirmative action as well as touches the fairness and possible solutions, if there are any.

Stacey