Here is a curious excerpt from Chicago’s Courses & Programs of Study: The College:
“In keeping with its long-standing traditions and policies, the University of Chicago, in admissions, employment, and access to programs, considers students on the basis of individual merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, or other factrs irrelevant to participation in programs of the University.”
I read this and was amazed to find that my first-choice school had stood up to both the illogical contemporary American ideology concerning race and ethnicity and also the imposition that diversity (of skin color) is obligatory. But then I read on a bit:
“The Affirmative Action Officer is the University official responsible for coordinatng its adherence to this policy, and the related federal and state laws and regulations.”
Why is there an AA Officer if skin color is impertinent in “participation in programs?” Is this a representative whose job is to explain why Chicago does not prescribe to AA?
Then it hit me: could Chicago be skewing their wording? “Without regard,” to me and I hope everyone else, means that the said qualities of an applicant are not only not held against that applicant, but also not beneficial to that applicant: they are not considered at all. But if Chicago has an AA Officer, they must prescribe to it (Hell, if they have a race checkbox on the applicaton, they must prescribe to it. ;)), and therefore “without regard” must somehow be implying “without bias against.”
First of all, I wish to confirm that UC does indeed adhere to AA. Second, I’d like to gather your thoughts on AA. Please consider this topic from an objective, logical standpoint: I won’t stand racist insinuations. If I were black or Hispanic, sure, I’d want to take advantage of AA and this promotion of diversity (again, diversity of skin color), but I’d know there was something askew with it in my heart, and I’d make the same post I’m making now.
I am all for diversity, but I think we’re seeking it in the wrong form. It is actually prejudicial to assume one applicant of one ethnicity is diverse from others of another ethnicity simply because of his skin tone. Minorities cringe at the thought of being pre-judged by policemen according to their skin color, so why is it okay for admissions officers to pre-judge according to the same criteria? Simply because it happens to work in their favor?