COLUMN: Affirmative action debate will inform
On Dec. 2, 2003, an anti-affirmative action bake sale took place at Utah State University. College Republican groups at schools such as Penn State, Berkeley, Florida State University and the University of Washington have held similar sales throughout the year. The reactions have been mixed, however; at USU this bake sale stirred up a lot of emotion and questions. Words were exchanged, feelings were hurt and a debate was born. On Monday, Jan. 26, an educational debate will be held to inform the student body of the pros and cons of affirmative action. Preparation for the debate began just days after the bake sale took place.
This is a great opportunity for students to become more educated and informed about one of the many diverse issues that surrounds our nation. If we as students don’t ask questions here at a university, then when do we? The ASUSU Campus Diversity charter states that this position was designed to “enhance, improve, and create programming events to enrich the cultural experience of the students” at USU. We can plan Luaus, Powwows, the Diversity Carnival and many other cultural experiences for the students, but the chance to hold an event surrounding an issue that affects our nation, as well as our community, is rare and should be done more frequently. Affirmative action is the nation’s most ambitious attempt to redress its long history of racial and sexual discrimination.
The actual phrase “affirmative action” was first used in President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 Executive Order 11246, which requires federal contractors to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.” Two years later the order was amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.
President Hall, in the State of the University address expressed his views on the matter. He said, “At Utah State, we believe in treating everyone fairly. We make choices based on individual merit, not on inherent differences – in our students, our faculty, or our staff. We value inclusiveness, and are pro-active in seeking out and encouraging all groups to be involved. This is the essence of affirmative action.”
Whether you have an opinion or not, I encourage each Utah State student to attend this educational debate and decide for himself or herself how they feel about affirmative action.
Angie Hammond is the ASUSU diversity vice president. Comments can be sent to brownbaby11@yahoo.com.