Students sat in the conference room of the ACC for “Social Justice Defined: Thoughts on Affirmative Action,” part of the “Over a Cup of Tea” series.
Kevin D. Brown, Richard S. Melvin Professor of Law and professor at Maurer School of Law, led the main discussion.
Brown is an IU alumnus and Yale scholar. He later became the second man of color to work at a law firm in the state of Indiana.
He has also written a book on social justice and minorities titled “Because of Us.”
This year marks the 54th anniversary of the Executive Order 10952, which encouraged the implementation of affirmative action.
“(Affirmative action) is taking into account race and ethnicity in the admissions process in order to create a diverse student body,” Brown said.
After providing a background of the history of minorities in America over the last century, Brown discussed American values and how they relate to affirmative action now.
He said America, as a country, values individualism and people generally do not identify themselves to only one race or culture.
He also said this value contradicts the Supreme Court’s decision in 2003 to continue implementing affirmative action in university admission processes.
“As a professor, I don’t think I have to debate with any of my colleagues in the law school about the benefits of having a diverse group of students,” ?Brown said.
Brown said he believes a diverse campus is most beneficial for the student body because “if you only interact with someone who has the same values and views as you, you don’t learn anything.”
Brown compared statistics of 2013 poverty rates, SAT scores and percentages of Americans with college degrees who identify as African American, Latino, Caucasian or Asian.
“Asians would dominate the admission rates if admissions were based purely on SAT scores,” Brown said.
He said Asians are not included in academic affirmative action, so they have to work harder to get ?into college.
He said Asians are doing particularly well in American society, as they are the leading race in all three areas he compares.
Brown said, according to the statistics, whites may soon be in close competition with Asians for college admission.
Brown closed the discussion by allowing students to comment on and ask questions regarding the evening’s topic. Many students said they have experienced affirmative action in other countries as well as America.
Sophomore Aiman Dahamat said he has experienced affirmative action in his home country of ?Malaysia.
Brown nodded his head in response to Dahamat’s comment.
“You can see (affirmative action) being very successful all over the world,” Brown said. “It only seems to be a problem — or topic of controversy in America — because we are a country that historically values individuality.”
Junior and chemistry major Chiang Tieng Tan said this discussion “speaks to my heart” because she has been a minority her whole life in Malaysia and America.
