The Subject of Affirmative Action

Considering the subject of approving doing the fol commencementers questions frequently ar raised Is there a clear apprehension of assentient effect roles/goals? What argon the pros/cons of these programs? What are the curve holes in the dodging? Does length of service play a role in optimistic carry through? Addressing these key questions may help us all in our insouciant rtabooine, as administrators and/or potential administrator in the public/buck private arena. plausive march programs throughout the United enunciates have a bun in the oven long been a controversial issue particularly concerning employment practices (public/private) and university student and/or mental faculty set upment.Most public agencies have some type of instituted plausive put through program. fit to Cheryl Perry-League, Director of Equal Opport symmetry of the Port of Oakland, e real telephone circuit operating on Port of Oakland owned land moldiness have a nucleotideing fav ourable natural process program on temper and melodic phrasees bidding to do work for the Port of Oakl and must have an tolerably diverse workforce. To show the role and/or goals of positive go throughs programs we should define what the heroic-minded definition of what affirmative bodily process is and what ca employ its development. The phase affirmative action was practice sessiond in a racial discrimination context.Executive station no(prenominal) 10,925 issued by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. The order indicated that federal contractors should organize affirmative action to ensure calling applicants and employees are treated without imagine to their race, creed, or national origin. A person could define this statement as an order to imply equal access and nothing else. Subsequently, Executive Order 11246 issued by President Johnson in September 1965, mandated affirmative action goals for all(prenominal) federally funded programs and moved monitoring and e nforcement of affirmative action programs out of the sinlessness House and into the Labor Department.Affirmative action refers to various efforts to deliberately scratch race, sex, and national origins into account to remedy ultimo and current effects of discrimination. Its elementary goal is to ensure that women and minorities are widely represented in all occupations and at all organizational levels (Tompkins, 1995, p. 161). former(a) definition of affirmative action according to Barbara Bergmann is planning and acting to end the absence of certain kinds of state-those who drop dead to groups that have been subordinated or left out-from certain jobs and schools (1997 p. 7).Tracing the history of affirmative action, laws against racial discrimination have proved inadequate for work plant integration because they often provide remedies only after the fact. Affirmative action requires proactive steps to provide equal opportunities in employment as healthful as access to educa tion. Many affirmative action programs were born from deed VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII references to affirmative action programs were brought about because of the history of discrimination in the United States, certain groups are viewed as disadvantage in the current marketplace.Thus affirmative action laws impose temporary requirements to correct underutilization of these groups (e. g. , goals and timet satisfactorys for increasing the number of minorities and women in a facility) (Gutman, 1993, p. 9). Prior to these laws and the Title VII law, the U. S workforce was primarily dominated by fair males. Although, notwithstanding somewhat smock male dominated, quotas that were designed through affirmative action programs have helped obtain some mold of women and minorities in the current work force. Some remedies brought about through affirmative action programs include goal screen background, quotas, and timetables.The term goal refers to specific outcomes which, when achieved, bequeath result in equal employment prospect and equitable banal (Hall & Albrecht, 1979, p. 47-78). Goals and hiring quotas vary somewhat in their fu nction. Goals generally are long clutch plans that organizations use and there are no expected minimum or maximum limitations. Quotas by comparison, establishes a definite number of people who must be engage. A Company cannot by law, use quotas unless it has been ordered to do so by a court to remedy a past action (Hall & Albrecht, 1979, p. 47-78).Deficiency correction is the primary mastermind of goal setting through affirmative action. For an organization to be effective with goals, they must be realistic, attainable, and monitored by the human resourcefulness segment. Affirmative action programs generally achieve their set goals through several common practices called outreach programs. First, there are special(prenominal) recruiting programs where women and minorities will most likely be set in mot ion. These special outreach programs often target black universities and female dominated educational facilities. A second outreach program involves special advertising.Generally, this is to a fault implemented in disciplines that are heavily dwell by women and minorities similar to that of recruiting programs. Through outreach programs like the ones mentioned above, goals can be come through to achieve equity and representation without forgoing higher educated and experient applicants. These programs can be justified because discrimination is still apparent in the United States at once. A 1990 study by the University of Chicagos field Opinion Research Center found that the majority of blank Americans still call back blacks to be inferior.For manikin, 53% of non-black respondents said they judgement blacks were less dexterous than whites, 62% said they thought blacks were less patriotic, 62% said they thought blacks were lazier, and 78% said they thought blacks preferred to live off welfare. The depicted object Assessment of Educational Progress, a series of national standardize tests, evaluates students on their proficiency in makeing, writing and science. They divide and co mpare these results to better understand the effectiveness of public schools.Their results suggest a large imbalance in the educational quality received by whites and other races. The most detectable imbalance in the three fundamentals of l benefiting was the most important, reading. When students cannot read well, they usually cannot succeed in other subject areas. With the background of affirmative action and its programs established we should evaluate some of the problems with affirmative action and if affirmative action programs work. Opponents against affirmative action programs often believe that the system currently in place is a misuse of the original intent of affirmative action.The programs as they apply now are detrimental to the operation of the job market, to white males, and to the groups it is supposed to benefit. They further contend affirmative action causes turn almost discrimination. It is not good practice for Opponents pro affirmative action to use it as a way to make up for past discrimination. Another problem cause by affirmative action is that it often places a marking on any groups, which receive invidious intervention, especially on individuals who earn typesets because of their ability.Opponents of affirmative action programs believe that these programs when handled properly through the human resources division within an organization can minimize the negative references received regarding hiring practices. Nye states that imperative information regarding an employees job qualifications should minimize assumptions of incompetence associated with affirmative action hiring programs. In other words, when workfellows have information that clearly describes an individuals job qualifications, they should be less likely to assume that he or she was considerd solely on race or sexual practice(1998).By making this information available within the organization, it would help remove the pressures from the employee and co-worker regarding the hi ring practices. This could further help the organization in the area of productivity, public relations within the community, and morale. By increasing morale, you maybe able to retain to a greater extent employees, recruitment made easier, and motivate employees into a very competitive workforce. Opponents of affirmative action also do not believe that women and minorities will be treated fairly without affirmative action programs.Opportunities in todays workplace are extremely competitive. Glazer states that the date over affirmative action today is a contest in the midst of a clear principle on the one hand and a clear reality on the other. The principle is that ability, qualifications, and merit, independent of race, national origin, or sex should prevail wh en one applies for a job or promotion, or for selective institutions for higher education, or when one bids for contracts.The reality is that strict affection to this principle would result in few African Americans getting jobs, admissio s, and contracts (1998). With that be said, women and minorities cannot possibly have a fair hazard in todays society without positive affirmative action programs. However, with affirmative action, it has been tell that their incentives to achieve success may be decreased because preferential treatment can lead to the patronization of minorities and women workers and students. By patronization I mean the setting of a lower standard of expected accomplishment because of the belief that these people are not as capable of meeting a higher standard (Loury, 1997).With a white male dominated workforce, negative public perceptual experiences, and low self-esteem of applicants, affirmative action offers a solution for race and gender equity. Further st ated, everyone in America should be afforded equal opportunity. If this cannot be achieved voluntarily, indeed we must continue to feign action to remedy these situations. Opponents of affirmative action won a landmark victory, in 1998, wi th the passage of calciums Proposition 209. This proposition abolished all public-sector affirmative action programs in the state in employment, education and contracting.Clause(C) of Prop. 09 permits gender discrimination that is reasonably requisite to the normal operation of public education, employment and contracting. In 1998, The ban on use of affirmative action in admissions at the University of California went into effect. UC Berkeley had a 61% drop in admissions, and UCLA had a 36% decline. This decline strengthens the position of the Pro side of affirmative action. However, a contingency plan has been established. According to a source (who asked to remain nameless), UC Berkeley has a program to actively recruit to a greater extent mi nority students that falls out of the guidelines established by prop. 09. These types of loop holes can ultimately hurt the various studies on the effectiveness of anti-affirmative action laws.Loop holes are exceptions to the rules or standards. Its a way around the system. Opponents for affirmative action might feel that the Washington State political sympathies utilized such a loop hole in 1997. nether an affirmative action program criticized as the ultimate example of preferential treatment by supporters against affirmative action, the Washington State government chartered to a greater extent than white men than African Americans did or any other minority group.In fact, white men fell second to white women being hired (Brune). The program in question is Washington States plus three program, according to Tom Brune of the Seattle Times, holds the state to hire people who qualify for affirmative action over finalists with higher job-test scores. white-hot men qualify because th e states affirmative action policy cover not only people of color and women, but also Vietnam-era veterans, disabled veterans and people with disabilities. Majority of the veterans are white men and closely half of them are disabled in the State of Washin gton.Another example of how affirmative action works for the disadvantaged can be found in Hayward, California. Bonnie Kellogg was admitted into the governments Small Business politics program that gives her company competitive advantages in its quest for government and large corporate contracts. Prior to 1995, Kelloggs chances of getting into this program, officially known as the 8(a) Business Development program, would have been slim to none. However, in 1995 court command stemming from a law suit by a white business owner alleging reverse discrimination relaxed government standards.This ruling as allow for whites, Egyptians and Iranians, who fall outside the SBAs minority designation easier access to the program. This relie f of the rules as helped non-minorities business owners greatly. Report K. Oanh Ha of the Knight Rider Tribune finds a, a big statistical change. From 1968 until mid-1998, only 40 businesses owned by whites and non-minorities out of 13,40 0 firms nationally were admitted, were admitted into the 8(a) program. So far this year, 74 non-minority companies have been admitted. 1999) length of service must be examined because in my opinion it is the most widely apply preferential treatment policy in the American workplace? With affirmative action being view as preference by legion(predicate) Americans and seniority being an unchallenged rule-of-thumb. In an article by capital of Minnesota Rockwell he explains, The seniority system may be legitimate, but it is no less preferential in its execution than affirmative action. When layoffs take place by seniority, many highly skilled women, many well-qualified people of color, among others, are bumped out of their jobs by less qualified older white males.In a seniority system, the last hired is the first fired, whether the employee is more skilled and efficient than an employee protected by seniority. (1999). Richard Lester, author of Manpower Planning, believes that seniority places less qualifi ed employees ahead of employees who are often better educated, more skilled in computers. Arthur Whitehill & Shin Ichi Takezawa in Work Ways, concluded the uniform thoughts Younger worker in some cases are more competent than older workers because of them being better education, greater adaptability and physical fitness.The public sector and much of the private sector have recognized seniority for sooner sometime. We can find this system practiced by older teachers at various universities who are often protected by tenure. Professor Daniel groom has even stated in candid conversion that when he was the department chair for the Master of Public Administration he took care of the elevate faculty first. Knowing this, why do O pponents of affirmative action, have appeared to be, faultfinding(prenominal) of about so-called merit and preference, why isnt there the same concern about the biggest workplace exception to strict meritocracy higher status?Seniority is yet another way to protect th e good o boys networks. Found in many of the historically white male dominated professions, for example, Firefighters, police, school superintendents, and college professors. Coming from a public sector background (Disabled Army War Veteran, Bureau of Prisons office administrator, Department of Veterans affairs administrator, and to many federal internships to count) I support the seniority system in those places where affirmative action is still in place. Workplace should reflect the motley of the community it serves, seniority is a fair system of prod solicitude relations.Seniority gives employees for the personnel problems and private preferences of an employer. However, seniority is a widely used exception to s trict merit system only if the workplace is classless and applied with affirmative action the workplace can become more inclusive. Where affirmative action is repealed, seniority loses some of its legitimacy. I argue that only loses some of its legitimacy be cause I personally was contain as an employee in a seniority situation. I was the last hired but I was not fired. In short, the scope of seniority and affirmative action are similar.The goal of seniority is job security and affirmative action is integration both goals are good for America. The American labor movement has a major stake in seniority. The movement should caress affirmative action because in good conscience it should not take advantage of one and not honor the other. Basically, benefiting for seniority practices but fence affirmative action for others. If affirmative action is repealed, seniority should go as well. Labor unions and movements should concentrate on saving affirmative action.At a time when all prog ressive social policies are under attack, unity between women, labor, and people of color is imperative. Seniority and affirmative action should stand or fall together. CONCLUSION Ultimately, the controversy surrounding affirmative action programs t oday will continue into the future. Society as a solely does not appear to be ready to relinquish its negative perception of the hiring practices brought about by Title VII. However, the benefits brought about this act has greatly change magnitude the opportunity for women and minorities in employment that may not have other been available.These programs have offered hope to some if not all-socioeconomic groups that they will be afforded the opportunity of equal employment and/or representation in our society. Furthermore, human resource departments in the public sector will have to become more skilled in implementing positive affirmative action programs if we are to run the full benefits from them. Finally, Affirmative action is not a cure-all. It will not eliminate racial discrimination, nor will it eliminate competition for scare resources.Affirmative action programs can only ensure that everyone has a fair chance at what is available. They cannot direct us to the social pol icies necessary so people do not have to compete for scarce resources in the first place. The larger question to ask is why are there not enough decent paying, challenging and safe jobs for everyone? Why are there not enough seats in the universities for everyone who wants an education? Expanding opportunity for people of color means expanding not only their access to subsisting jobs & education, but also removing the obstacles that cause these resources to be limited.