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Profs. debate affirmative action plans

Declaring preference by race or sex as morally wrong, philosophy Prof. Carl Cohen attacked the University, saying that it contradicts itself in its admissions practices.

"We profess absolutely equal treatment for all races, sexes and ethnic groups," Cohen said.

Cohen said this public disclaimer, which appears in official University documents, contradicts the University's actions.

"We cheat. We give racial preference knowingly while saying that we do not, but we hide that fact with murky references to `diversity,'" Cohen said.

Affirmative action programs have come under public and legislative scrutiny within the past year. Last week another component of affirmative action crumbled when the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals declared in Hopwood v. Texas that universities in three states could not consider race in the admissions process.

"I feel confident despite the Hopwood case," said Law Prof. Theodore St. Antoine.

If the Supreme Court reviews the Hopwood case, St. Antoine said he thinks the present justices will sustain affirmative action.

St. Antoine also used the University's Law School as a case study for his arguments in favor of maintaining affirmative action programs.

"I would argue very strenuously that being black is a qualification to be a lawyer," he said. "They are needed out there and they can understand problems from inside the black community."

St. Antoine recalled that in 1965, the University's Law School did not have a single black student and he said that without affirmative action programs, there would only be "a mere handful of blacks."

Although Cohen acknowledged that there would be fewer blacks in the Law School, he said he had confidence in the intellectual abilities of black students and said there would "still be enough" black Law students.

"What is enough?" asked Denise Tanguay, a professor at Eastern Michigan University's College of Business.

Citing data from a recently released cultural diversity report about the University's Medical School, Tanguay said "the gains that have been made with affirmative action are only temporary."

The report revealed that 54 percent of the Medical School's black faculty felt the environment of the Medical School is "cold and unwelcoming."

Cohen attributed this environment to the resentment that is produced by preference based on race.

An emotional Lester Monts, vice provost for academic and multicultural affairs, said Cohen is neglecting the years of discrimination that he and other blacks faced.

"When you sit here and tell me things are equal, it seems like you are forgetting a simple fact in history -- a social fact in history," Monts said.

Monts also said hearing Cohen speak so passionately against preference by race made it seem as if the years Monts spent growing up in segregated schools in Arkansas "seem like a lie."

Cohen argued that state legislators -- not University officials -- should be the ones to design policies involving race-based admissions.

Monts responded by saying, "You know what, Carl? Legislators in Arkansas made a lot of decisions and not one of them were to my advantage."

Yesterday's forum was hosted by the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs and the University chapter of the American Association of University Professors.