McFarland Race and College Admissions: A Case for Affirmative Action, 2d ed.

Review "An incredibly astute and captivating read, Race and Admissions offers an important argument for one of higher education's most pressing racial policies--affirmative action--and why it remains necessary."--Eddie R. Cole, author of The Campus Color Line: College Presidents and the Struggle for Black Freedom"Jamillah Moore's Race and Admissions is a very timely book in this moment of national reckoning with racism and anti-Blackness. To understand why racially minoritized communities have accumulated only 5% of the wealth of whites we need to understand the historical roots of racism in higher education admissions. Dr. Moore's book draws on history and policy to make the case for the injustice committed by white-centered definitions of merit and the perversity inherent in the elimination of affirmative action. This book provides the foundation for racially just admissions policies and practices. Our future as a democracy and racially just society is impossible without a higher education system that reflects in admissions and outcomes the racial and ethnic diversity of this country."--Estela Mara Bensimon, university professor emerita, founder, Center for Urban Education, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California"This book is a superb, comprehensive and compelling case for Affirmative Action. President Jamillah Moore has done an excellent job in keeping this crucial issue alive!"--Cornel West, Harvard University"As a beneficiary of affirmative action and a practitioner of its aims to amplify opportunity and college access for racialized communities, I was both inspired and riled by Dr. Moore's adept and authentic treatment of this contentious, but necessary policy subject. Inspired by its impactful promise to create a more inclusive democracy in higher education and riled by our collective inability to once and for all end racism in college admissions. Dr. Moore provides a compelling rationale for race-conscious admissions and a practical roadmap for willing co-conspirators."--Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D., Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District Product Description In the United States, elite colleges and universities have largely been reserved for wealthy, predominantly white Americans, closing off access for students of color. Statutory laws have embedded discriminatory tactics into the admissions process, resulting in students of color remaining underrepresented at top-tier universities. Discriminatory practices mandate the need for institutions to prioritize diversity through affirmative action. If legal battles against affirmative action create bans on the policy, many colleges and universities will remain predominantly white institutions.This book takes an historical look at the pivotal role affirmative action has played in higher education. It examines the admissions process through the eyes of a beneficiary of affirmative action and is the first text to share insights on the role eligibility plays in allowing universities to consider race in admitting applicants. Detailed are the different types of affirmative action and how some colleges and universities use the policy as a tool to consider race and ethnicity as part of a holistic evaluation of applicants. This work makes the case that race-conscious admissions practices remain necessary in the fight for racial equity in higher education. About the Author Jamillah Moore is the vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at San Francisco State University. Previously, she served as the president of Cañada College in Redwood City. A prominent social justice advocate and higher education leader, she is recognized as an advocate for educational access and equity with a focus on student success.