EDU 586 Week 5 Discussion 2Introduction

I selected racial diversity in higher education as my topic. It falls under the topic
category, Diversity. Racial diversity in America’s higher education is an issue that has been
debated for years now. It is largely dynamic and alive as it is affected by policies, laws, and
litigations. Also, there are historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) and
predominantly white colleges (PWC) which struggle with racial diversity. Such institutions have
to adopt strategies in their admissions strategies that help them enhance diversity within their
institutions. I reviewed a lot of literature on this topic because I wanted to know what the
involved stakeholders are doing to enhance diversity around campus. Also, with the many court
cases n regard to race-conscious admission practices, I was interested in knowing what the
institutions are doing differently to enhance diversity through constitutionally right practices.
History of Higher Education
Race and ethnicity have affected student performance in colleges for many years. In their
article, McCoy et al. (2017) explain how faculty members relate differently to students
depending on their race. Black students who study in predominantly white institutions have over
the years complained of neglect and lack of support from faculty members. On the other hand,
white students in institutions that are predominantly white State that their faculty members were
supportive and offered to help, especially in conducting research. On the other hand, white
students in historically black colleges and universities complain about a lack of support from
faculty members, while the case is different among black students in these institutions. The
authors observed that diversity has been lacking, and this has been affecting the core of the

institutions. Even if diversity is achieved during admission, inclusion still lacks within the
institutions. Students from minority communities still feel neglected. As such, higher education
history harbors inequality, and systems need to be changed for rea diversity to be achieved.
National and Local Law
Ethnic and racial background are critical determinants in how college admissions have
been carried out up until the Fisher v. University of Texas ruling that was made by the Supreme
court. The court ruled that any college or university that intends to use race-conscious
admissions practices must, first of all, prove that no other practical race-neutral technique could
be used to yield the same results. Thus, although the affirmative action allowed the use of race-
conscious admission practices, the same was overruled by the supreme court. The law now
requires institutions of higher learning to adapt approaches to enhance diversity within their
institutions, as long as they do not use race as a factor or criteria for eligibility. The use of
admission practices that are race-conscious is discriminative and unconstitutional. Institutions
assume that they can discern when discrimination has beneficial effects and when it results to
harm. although the history of higher education depicts outright racial discrimination, an overtly
discriminatory past must be corrected through mechanisms that do not perpetuate more harm. it
is unconstitutional to use strategies that discriminate against the majority while favoring the
minority (Rosenbaum et al., 2013). Thus, colleges must implement permissible and
constitutional strategies aimed at fostering diversity.
Leadership
Diversity within higher institutions of learning begins with policies adopted by the
leadership of the institution as well as the regulations within the State where it is located. As

such, leadership plays a central role in either enhancing or undermining diversity. For instance,
in states where affirmative action is allowed, then universities can use race-conscious admissions
practices as long as they do so carefully to avoid litigation. The case is different n states that do
not allow affirmative action. Palmer et al. (2013) recommend that colleges and universities
within states that allow affirmative action should seek to apply techniques that promote racial
diversity without necessarily relying on affirmative action. Such tactics may include setting
recruitment and retention goals that show the institution is dedicated to promoting diversity
within its student population and faculty members. Such approaches will ensure that colleges and
universities promote racial diversity without necessarily relying on policies that are associated
with affirmative action. Consequently, the institutions will avoid the possibility of facing
litigation and still have a diverse student population. The authors also recommend the
establishment of transfer programs within community colleges. If colleges and universities adopt
such programs, they will create a pipeline of diversity where qualified applicants will be sourced
from a largely diverse pool.
Current Events
The article, How to achieve real diversity in higher education by Valerie Strauss,
explores racial diversity and the quality of it in America’s higher education. Strauss states that
SAT and ACT test scores have been used for many years to select students to join colleges and
universities. The tests have largely been a function of the mother’s level of education, race, and
family income (Strauss, 2020). As such, in the recent past, the University of California
announced its decision to phase out the use of SAT and ACT test scores as one of its admissions
criteria. Critics of such systems of standardized testing applauded the university’s decision. The
tests are partly a function of race, and thus using them equates to using a race-conscious

admissions process. However, Strauss argues that eliminating the use of tests in the university’s
admissions process does not help achieve racial diversity in college. Institutions must be
committed to adapt more practices aimed at enhancing not only diversity but also inclusion.
Summary
Diversity in colleges and institutions is a largely contentious issue. Racial discrimination has
been a systemic problem in the country for many years, and the same affected racial
representation within colleges and universities. As such, undoing the impact of this problem has
taken time, and much is yet to be achieved. The affirmative action sought to undo the wrong and
give underrepresented communities access to institutions of higher learning. However, this has
been met with litigation leading to the policies being banned in some states. In states where the
policies are still constitutional, universities are in fear of applying them because doing so could
end up in lawsuits. Scholars have suggested that institutions need to come up with strategies that
are race-neutral on how to enhance diversity around campus. They should also implement
strategies that foster the inclusion of all races around campus to enhance retention rates.
Gaps
Researchers recommend that institutions come up with race-neutral admissions practices.
However, there lacks research or available literature on some of the race-neutral admissions
practices that will achieve the same results as the race-conscious admissions practices.
Current thinking
Colleges and universities need to adopt admissions practices that do not use race as a
factor during the selection of applicants. Doing so will help them enhance diversity and avoid
litigation altogether.

Conclusion
Overall, diversity is a key principle in the attainment of missions and goals wihin
institutions of higher learning. Even as these institutions look for ways to foster diversity, they
must ensure that the mechanism the put in place will are constitutionally right. They must refrain
from implementing discriminative practice which end up benefiting a certain group of students
while others are disadvantaged. As diversity is enhanced, equality too should be upheld. It is a
not an easy task to enhance diversity hence the need for further studies into the issue to identify
practices that are race neutral and that will help universities achieve a diverse student population.

References

McCoy, D. L., Luedke, C. L., & Winkle-Wagner, R. (2017). Encouraged or Weeded Out:
Perspectives of Students of Color in the STEM Disciplines on Faculty
Interactions. Journal of College Student Development, 58(5), 657.
Palmer, R., Wood, J., & Spencer, D. (2013). Diverging Interests: Balancing Racial Diversity and
Race-Sensitive Policies Across State Higher Education Systems. Journal of Black
Studies, 44(4), 406-425. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/24572937
Rosenbaum, S., Teitelbaum, J., & Scott, J. (2013). Raising the Bar on Achieving Racial
Diversity in Higher Education: The United States Supreme Court’s Decision in Fisher v
University of Texas. Academic Medicine, 88(12), 1792–1794.
Strauss, V. (2020). How to achieve real diversity in higher education. Washington Post.
Retrieved 29 October 2020, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/06/11/how-achieve-real-diversity-
higher-education/.