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A Guide to College Baseball Bats
In the mid 1850s, when baseball was in its infancy, players made their own bats. They experimented with flat bats, round bats, and heavy bats. They ultimately discovered that the barrel shaped bat was the most effective. Today, college baseball bats...
College Cuisine
Going to college is a grand experience. It's the first time many young adults get the chance to begin taking care of themselves, no matter what the consequences. One of the main things that worries parents when their child heads out into the world...
College Is Much More Than Higher Education
The first day of college begins with hopes and dreams of a new future. You walk around the college, drinking in the newness of a world unknown, where the buildings will become a second home to you as you release yourself into a variety of lectures. ...
Getting The Best Online College Education
There has always been a lot of debate as to whether an online college education is as good as a traditional college education. The answer to this is quite simple; there are good institutions that offer an online college education and there are bad...
Paying for College
College Payments
Paying for college is one of the largest expenses a parent will face in their lifetime, other than paying for a house. Because of this, care needs to be taken as well as special planning and allocations of finances in order to...
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Is Affirmative Action In Jeopardy On College Campuses?
Affirmative action and other set-asides for minorities and women
have come under increasing fire in recent years. These programs,
first started decades ago, were once a given in higher education
for everything from admission to financial aid. Today, women and
minority students cannot count on the same level assistance from
affirmative action that their parents may have received.
The backlash against affirmative action comes largely from the
group that feels damaged by these programs--white males. As the
standard of living for African Americans in the United States
has risen, whites claim that the "leg up" provided by set-aside
programs constitutes an unfair advantage. Similarly, white males
point out that since women now make up the majority of college
students, they can hardly claim discrimination. The critics of
affirmative action promote a merit-based system, in which
admission and scholarships are awarded to the most worthy, with
race or gender not considered at all.
The exclusively merit-based system, however, has itself come
under attack. Supporters of affirmative action claim that there
is no fair way to determine merit. Tests, like the SAT, have
always produced a mark disparity in results between blacks and
whites. Other factors used to rank college applicants, such as
grade point averages and advanced placement classes, vary widely
from one school to another. In fact, many minority leaders claim
that there is no completely objective way to measure ability.
They believe that a person's background or the obstacles he/she
may have overcome are just as important as grades and
standardized tests. According to affirmative action supporters,
the merit system fails to produce an element vital to higher
education--diversity. This, they say, is necessary for a
well-rounded college experience, as well as for societal
stability.
Despite the rhetoric and passions on both sides, the
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future of
affirmative action is likely to be determined by the courts, not
by the activists. Recent state court rulings have upheld policy
changes in key states such as Texas, Florida, and California,
that now restrict how schools can use race and gender as factors
in determining admission. Although the Supreme Court has not yet
issued a definitive ruling, two things are now apparent. First,
race cannot be the sole factor in determining admission. Second,
when race is one of the factors, the school must demonstrate a
compelling interest for the government to allow it. Exactly what
constitutes a "compelling" interest remains to be seen.
In order to maintain diversity on their campuses, universities
have developed innovative ways of achieving the same goals
without violating the new restrictions. Often called a
"holistic" method, some schools now consider a variety of
factors besides grades and test scores. For example, students
who had a difficult home life or had to work during their high
school years in order to help support their family may get
special consideration. Furthermore, corporations and various
private foundations have increased their funding for minority
scholarships in order to make up for any drop in federal or
state-sponsored aid.
It is unlikely that affirmative action will be completely
eliminated. Too many schools are committed to maintaining a
diverse student body. College administrators will find one way
or another to achieve balance in their admissions. However, if
the current trends continue, women and minorities will need to
seek out new sources of college financial aid, and develop new
strategies for gaining entrance to the nation's top
universities.
About the author:
Chris Davis. Please visit http://www.educationwebresources.com
for the latest information on finding scholarships, college
grants, and other useful resources for students and teachers.
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