Should it be illegal for universities to consider the race of student applicants in their efforts to produce a diverse student body?
Cornell faculty member Jeremy Rabkin and Harvard faculty member Gary Orfield sounded off on that question Oct. 21 before a Barnes Hall audience.
"Affirmative action is certainly imperfect, but until we think of something better, it's very necessary," contended Orfield, a professor of education and social policy and chairman of the Harvard Civil Rights Project.
Orfield, who argued in favor of using race as part of the admissions formula, opened his remarks by declaring that America is currently in a crisis.
"We have inequalities in our society," Orfield said. "The races are deeply segregated by educational inequality."
He then went on to endorse the use of affirmative action in college admissions formulas. "Affirmative action is not concerned with quotas," he said. "It's simply designed to be one of the circumstances used to measure a student for acceptance into a college or university."
Rabkin, an associate professor of government and a member of the board of directors of the Center for Individual Rights, believes it should be illegal to use race as a condition for college acceptance. He argued that race was special and that it could not easily be regulated by certain admissions policies, such as affirmative action.
"Americans do not make an effort to regulate many things today," Rabkin said, "so why should we try to regulate race?"
Rabkin argued that "universities don't have a lot of credibility anymore, especially concerning the issue of race." He warned college and university officials against playing with race issues.
"Race is explosive -- highly flammable -- toxic. It's social dynamite," he said. "Race is dangerous -- especially when people treat it the wrong way."
Sophomore Kate Keifer credited both sides with presenting an invigorating debate. "Although I may not have agreed with much of what [Rabkin] said, I think he managed to stir up a good debate," she said.
Matt Wexler, president of the Cornell Political Forum and Debate Society, which presented the event, said he thought the debate was quite successful.
"One goal of the forum is to foster debate on campus," he said. "I think this event managed to do that."
The debate was moderated by John Ford, the Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students, who introduced the participants. It was co-sponsored by a number of campus organizations.