A panel of Dartmouth administrators and faculty members that discussed the positive and negative aspects of affirmative action and its impact on Asian-Americans provoked a heated discussion last night
The community forum, titled "Asian-Americans, Affirmative Action and Graduate School Admissions," was co-sponsored by the Korean Asian Student Association and the Dartmouth Asian Organization.
Government Professor James Shoch began by providing a compact historical background of affirmative action in America and went on to emphasize its illegitimate role as a political tool.
"Affirmative action has become a wedge issue," Shoch said. "It is magnified on the political front to detract from more important, economic issues."
Visiting Sociology Professor Steven Cornish agreed that affirmative action is used to distract attention away from larger political issues, but said there is still a strong need for these policies.
Affirmative action is "a godsend to minorities in this country," he said.
Cornish said studies have projected that it will take almost 800 years to close the income gap between blacks and Caucasians.
Dean of Graduate Studies Edward Berger also voiced the need for antidiscriminatory policies.
"It's important that there be a richness in students and faculty" at the College, Berger said. "It is important to maintain diversity."
English Professor Josna Rege agreed this country must face these issues.
But Rege said she did not believe affirmative action ought to be the sole means of addressing this problem.
Affirmative action "is not a panacea. It won't solve all of our problems," Rege said.
English Professor Donald Pease focused on Asian-American issues.
Pease said affirmative action was being made into a wedge issue. He then said "Asian-Americans have come to represent economic insecurity" in this country, and are, for this reason, actively discriminated against.
Dean of Residential Life Mary Turco said she does not believe discrimination against minorities is a growing problem at the College. She said Dartmouth is "committed to greater racial diversity through its admissions process."
Director of Thayer Admissions and Financial Aid Benoit Cushman-Roisin said he shares Turco's faith in the College's nondiscriminatory practices.
"We simply do not discriminate," Cushman-Roisin said.
He did not deny that race can be a factor in admissions, however.
"If we have two equally qualified students and one is a minority, we will admit the minority," Cushman-Roisin said.
Referring specifically to the Thayer School's practices, Cushman-Roisin said "If there's a bias, it's in favor of minority students in financial aid."
After the panelists had their turn, previously selected student leaders took the floor informally and an emotionally charged debate ensued.
"We need to look at the academy," Senior Editor of the Dartmouth Review Bill Kartalopoulos '97 said.
"We need to ask ourselves if the academy is doing itself a favor by engaging in these artificial practices," he said.
Affirmative action at Dartmouth has "worked too well" with African-Americans, Kartalopoulos said. "It's almost worked against them."
"There's a lot of subtle distinction that affirmative action ignores," Editor in Chief of The Beacon Brandon Del Pozo '96 said.
The panel discussion took place before a moderately size audience in 13 Carpenter Hall.
