Mellander, Gustavo A., Ed.; Prochaska, Fred, Ed. (1991). The Diversity Challenge: A Collection of Model Programs. Model programs designed to promote diversity within the West Valley-Mission Community College District (WVMCCD) in California are discussed and described in this report. First, an introductory chapter, "The Importance of Cultural Issues to Higher Education," by Gustavo A. Mellander and Fred Prochaska, reviews the diversity recommendations of the National Center for Postsecondary Governance and Finance, as well as the WVMCCD's commitment to a comprehensive student assessment and placement program, and to an affirmative action plan for hiring. The subsequent chapters, which describe the district's model programs, are entitled: (1) "A Brief Summary of the Cultural Pluralism Program at Mission College," by Jane Patton; (2) "The ADELANTE Project at Mission College," by Barbara Richmond and Nancy K. Wright; (3) "The Cross-Cultural Contact Assignment at Mission College," by Marsha Chan; (4) "The Role of Cultural Diversity in Vocational Courses… [PDF]

Bergmann, Barbara R.; Figart, Deborah M. (1989). Facilitating Women's Occupational Integration. Background Paper No. 26. Occupational sex segregation is one of the most obvious facts of economic life. The largest declines in the sex segregation index between 1970 and 1980 were in the managerial and professional specialty and in the service occupations. Changes were greater for white-collar than blue-collar occupations for both white and minority women. White women reduced their entry into a number of traditionally female white-collar occupations that minority women, leaving private household work, continued to enter. It has been easier to pass laws mandating equal opportunity and affirmative action than to eliminate institutional and informal obstacles, such as sexual harassment or coworker hostility, outmoded administrative rules and procedures by employers and unions, and gender-tracked promotional ladders. There has been some growth in the number of women training for and entering higher-status, skilled blue-collar crafts. There are more women apprentices than women currently employed in the… [PDF]

Mattice, Nancy J. (1995). Campus Climate Faculty/Staff/Administrator Survey. Institutional Research. In fall 1994, College of the Canyons (COC), in California, conducted a survey of all 380 faculty, staff, and administrators to determine their attitudes toward and experiences at the college. The survey rate was 31.8%, with 121 responses and results were compared to findings from a spring 1994 survey completed by 545 students for a 30.8% response rate. Study findings included the following: (1) while all administrators and nearly 90% of the faculty believed diversity was a good thing for COC, only 84% of staff and 79% of students agreed; (2) 50% of faculty, 58% of staff, and 47% of students believed that promoting diversity leads to the admission of too many underprepared students; (3) 86.3% of faculty, 88.2% of administrators, 80% of staff, and 77% of students agreed that COC had achieved a positive climate for diversity; (4) while 60% of faculty and 85% of administrators disagreed that affirmative action leads to the hiring of less qualified faculty and staff, 64% of staff and 56%… [PDF]

Eure, Dexter D., Sr. (1984). Desegregation/Integration and the Media: Fallout from the Brown Decision. The Supreme Court's 1954 Brown decision, which addressed itself to the question of race, was as applicable to the national media as to the nation's public schools. In its watchdog role, the media has often preached to government and businesses, without applying the same standards to itself. The media, an industry governed and ruled by white males who wield awesome amounts of power, has great impact on people's lives, and has had a major influence on institutional racism. Despite its power and influence, the media refuses to be held accountable for its own racism. The "liberal press" would have people believe that racism is not reflected in the exclusion of non-whites from its corporate boards, from ownership, and from the ranks of editorial decision makers. Today, 60 percent of the daily newspapers still do not employ a single minority journalist. When minorities are not allowed in newsrooms, news stories are often incomplete, poorly researched, and largely inaccurate. The…

Welch, Finis (1976). Employment Quotas for Minorities. This report, part of Rand's Labor and Population Studies Program, delves into sources of black/white income differentials. This report has as its purpose, the use of employment quotas as an analytical device for devising a priori notions of what the effects of government attempts to reduce employment discrimination might be. Following a formal solution to both a one-sector and a two-sector model of quotas, wherein the two-sector case quotas are imposed on only one sector, a number of simulations are presented. The simulations are an arithmetical exercise conducted to give order of magnitude estimates of the social cost of quota-induced income redistribution. The main conclusion is that without skill bumping quotas are expensive means of redistributing income. With skill bumping, quotas have the potential of redistributing income at costs that appear trivial, but there is a problem. Skill bumping presumes that workers are upgraded into better paying jobs than they would otherwise…

Arnold, Mary, Ed. (1996). The Full Palette Diversity Guide for High School Journalism. This booklet presents 12 activities to help high school journalism teachers and staff members balance the content of their publications and the staff makeup so that all groups of students in the school are represented. The first 11 activities in the booklet are classroom activities designed for teachers and students. The final activity is intended primarily for advisers and includes suggestions for recruiting minority staff members and step-by-step plans for forming a local press association. Included with each activity in the booklet are a goal for each activity and strategies for attaining that goal; an approximate time line for the activity; ways of getting started and wrapping up each activity; a list of materials needed; worksheets; and a list of sources and resources. Activities in the booklet are (1) The Music Lesson–A Mini-Survey Experience; (2) Cover Me Fairly–Getting Rid of Stereotypes and Biases; (3) Total Coverage–Covering All Sectors of the Student Body; (4) The…

Wright, Stephen J. (1978). Testing/Admissions: What Can and Cannot Be Done. The uses and limitations of tests and college admissions policies and procedures are considered, and some testing/admissions guidelines for selective graduate and professional schools in the post-Bakke era are suggested. Among the uses of tests are the following: diagnosing academic deficiencies and weaknesses; determining the level of mastery; identifying the very able and the very weak students who apply to selective institutions; and predicting how individuals will perform in the future with respect to relevant criteria. Four things that tests cannot do are: measure innate ability, measure without substantial error, measure drive or persistence, and predict with any substantial accuracy who will or will not succeed in a given profession. The purpose or role of public policy where admission to professional schools is concerned is to serve the public interest. The purpose or role of academic policy is to insure the educational integrity of the educational programs and the… [PDF]

Sternberg, Robert J. (1995). For Whom Does "The Bell Curve" Toll"? It Tolls for You. Although British psychologist Francis Galton lost the battle for the definition of intelligence in his own time, his views live on in the work of Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray. They argue that the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is an adequate measure of intelligence, and that IQ is highly heritable. They contend that there are racial and ethnic group differences in intelligence, and that these matter for society. They further believe that tests have been and should be a gating mechanism because they tell who will be better and who will be worse in a variety of pursuits. Their ideas, however, deserve more scrutiny than influence. Herrnstein and Murray ignore the large body of research that says IQ is not the be-all and end-all that they make it out to be. They imply that psychologists are in fundamental agreement on what intelligence really is, but, in fact, psychologists continue to debate the nature of intelligence. There are racial differences in IQ, but are these really…

(1992). Toward a Model Academic Administrator Evaluation Policy. Adopted November 7, 1992. In developing procedures for evaluating academic administrators which both meet legal requirements and foster professional development, institutions should provide for the participation of faculty and other employees directly affected by the administrator's position; develop clear and complete job descriptions for each administrative position; conduct evaluations in a timely manner at regular and reasonable intervals; and clearly explain the purposes of the evaluation. Job performance standards should be established at least 1 year in advance of the evaluation process and should be clearly communicated to those being evaluated. Job performance goals and objectives should be established which assess the administrator in such areas as knowledge of the position, planning and management in the context of shared governance, communication skills, promoting affirmative action and cultural diversity, and implementing legal mandates. Two types of procedures for the evaluation of… [PDF]

Van Alstyne, Carol; And Others (1977). Women and Minorities in Administration of Higher Education Institutions: Employment Patterns and Salary Comparisons. Special Supplement: 1975-76 Administrative Compensation Survey. Employment patterns and salary levels of 18,035 college and university administrators were compared by sex and race. The national survey compared the status of women and minorities with those of white men in order to establish baselines for measuring progress toward achieving affirmative action goals and to raise questions about the causes of differential employment opportunities. The data for 1,037 institutions were collected as part of the 1975-76 Administrative Compensation Survey conducted by the College and University Personnel Association. Among the findings are the following: the large majority (79 percent) of people holding the 52 administrative positions studied were white men, while white women held 14 percent, minority men held 5 percent, and minority women held under 2 percent; the institutions with women or minority student bodies employed a much larger percentage of women and minorities in administrative posts than did white coeducational colleges; at all institutions,…

Tiana Thompson (2024). Addressing Challenges of African American Students in an Alabama HBCC Hospitality Program. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Tennessee State University. This qualitative dissertation explored the challenges faced by African American students in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Hospitality Program at a Historically Black Community College (HBCC) in Alabama. Framed by Social-Identity Theory, Critical Race Theory, and the Inclusive Excellence Framework, the study addressed the underrepresentation of African Americans in management roles within the Hospitality and Tourism industry (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). Using purposive sampling and in-depth interviews with students, faculty, and administrators, the research identified structural, cultural, and academic barriers–such as educational disparities, limited networking, resource inequalities, and unconscious biases in hiring and promotion–that hindered student success. While culturally supportive environments were present, participants highlighted gaps in institutional resources and industry partnerships needed for career advancement, underscoring the need for stronger… [Direct]

(1987). Black Health Issues in New York State: Condition, Prognosis, Prescription. Preliminary Report, Health Subcommittee. The Governor's Advisory Committee for Black Affairs. Volume 1, Health. This document, which reviews the health problems of blacks in New York State, is the first volume of a study of the needs of the two million blacks in New York. The health status of blacks is examined in each of the following phases of the life cycle: (1) maternal; (2) infancy; (3) childhood; (4) adolescence; (5) adulthood; and (6) the elder years. Related issues of services, access to and availability of medical care, and affirmative action to increase the number of medical and health care professionals to serve the black community are also reviewed. The following preliminary findings are discussed: (1) the health status of blacks has improved substantially in the past 5 years, but significant disparities continue to exist between blacks and other New Yorkers; (2) there is a clear connection between poverty and poor health, with a complex interaction of socioeconomic and behavioral factors adversely affecting the health and longevity of blacks; (3) blacks of all ages are grossly…

Bayer, Alan E. (1973). Teaching Faculty in Academe, 1972-1973 [machine-readable data file]. The \Teaching Faculty in Academe, 1972-1973\ machine-readable data file (MRDF) resulted from a mail survey of faculty members in 301 institutions of higher education in the United States and represents a replication or follow-up of a previous survey conducted in 1968-1969. The purpose of the survey was to reassess college and university faculty in the light of significant changes in American higher education; e.g. tighter job market, growth in collective bargaining, alteration in tenure policies, decline in federal support for university research, introduction of affirmative action programs, decline in campus unrest, lower growth rate for undergraduate enrollments, and the precarious financial situation in many higher education institutions. The 301 institutions include 78 universities, 181 four-year colleges, and 42 junior or community colleges. Institution faculty size ranged from 20 to 4,500. A total of 53,034 faculty members responded to the survey, with 10,689 indicating either…

Aoki, Andrew L., Ed.; Haynie, Kerry L., Ed.; McCulloch, Anne M., Ed.; Schultz, Jeffrey D., Ed. (2000). Encyclopedia of Minorities in American Politics. Volume 2: Hispanic Americans and Native Americans. The American Political Landscape Series. The last 30 years of U.S. political history have seen dramatic strides in the impact that minorities play in U.S. politics. This second volume of a two-volume set addresses the historical and contemporary impact of two of the largest minority groups in the United States. Divided into two sections, the encyclopedia addresses the political struggles of Hispanic Americans and Native Americans. The work draws attention to those events, people, and ideas that have shaped, and will continue to shape, the political dialogue of a diverse country. The entries cover people, events, court cases, movements, and organizations that have shaped the political struggles of these 2 groups. Longer entries address some of the key issues that face minorities in U.S. politics today. These "issue entries," such as those on affirmative action, immigration, bilingual education, and political participation were written to give context to current politics and to show how these issues might be…

(1989). Annual Information Digest: Los Angeles Community Colleges, 1987-88. This statistical digest provides 1987-88 information on the enrollments, students, programs and services, finances, and personnel resources of the Los Angeles Community College District's (LACCD's) nine campuses. Following a glossary of terms, the report provides an overview of major findings. These include the following: (1) an estimated 4.6 million people lived in the district in 1987, representing a 10% increase over 1980; (2) since 1980, the district's population has shown increases in the representation of Hispanics and Asians, a steady proportion of Blacks, and a decrease in the percentage of Whites; (3) the proportion of females enrolled in the LACCD rose to 55% in fall 1987; (4) between fall 1972 and fall 1987, the representation of Hispanics and Asians in LACCD enrollments increased from 16% to 26% and from 6% to 15%, respectively; while the proportion of Blacks and Whites decreased; (5) the percentage of full-time students fell from 35% in 1972 to 26% in 1987; (6) since…

Kane, Paul L.; Silvestri, Marco J. (1975). How Affirmative is the Action for Administrative Positions in Higher Education?. Journal of Higher Education, 46, 4, 445-50, Jul/Aug 75. Discusses a study that analyzed responses to fictitious position-wanted ads of female and minority candidates for administrative positions. (JT)…

Garces, Liliana M.; Horn, Catherine L.; Marin, Patricia; Miksch, Karen; Yun, John T. (2018). Uses of Extra-Legal Sources in "Amicus Curiae" Briefs Submitted in "Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin". Education Policy Analysis Archives, v26 n38 Mar. As the political arena becomes increasingly polarized, the legal arena is playing a more important role in the creation of education policy in the United States. One critical stage in the legal process for such efforts is at briefing where "amici curiae," or friends-of-the-court, may introduce additional arguments for the court to consider through the filing of "amicus curiae" briefs. To explore the use of extra-legal sources by "amici," we focus on the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court case "Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin" and ask the questions: (1) What are the types, and relative use by "amici," of extra-legal sources cited in the briefs submitted in "Fisher I?"; and (2) What is the relative use of extralegal sources cited in "amicus" briefs by supporting party and by category of "amici?" Our findings reveal the wide-range of extra-legal sources used in "amicus" briefs, and that the type of… [PDF]

(1992). Richard J. Daley College Annual Report, 1991-1992. Focussing on the 1991-92 academic year, this annual report for Daley College (DC) in Chicago, Illinois, provides descriptions and detailed data on exemplary programs and initiatives, DC efforts to improve educational programs, the comprehensive support services provided to students, efforts in the area of community relations, use of fiscal resources, and human resource use and development. In addition, student outcomes are presented for the college credit division, adult learning skills division, and the adult/continuing education division, including numbers of course completers, and numbers of degrees and certificates awarded. Also, efforts undertaken to evaluate administrative operations, staffing and personnel, programs, and services are described, including a discussion of institutional strengths and weaknesses. Finally, goals and objectives for the 1992-93 academic year. Among the accomplishments and outcomes for the 1991-92 academic year were the following: (1) in spring 1992,… [PDF]

Byrne, Eileen M. (1992). Women in Science and Technology: The Institutional Ecology Approach. Volume III: Discussion Papers (The Ten Factors of Influence) Used in the UO WISTA Survey. This document is a "methodological annex" to volume I of the Women in Science and Technology in Australia (WISTA) final research report. The 10 discussion papers that make up this document deal with the 10 core factors of influence that formed one main axis of the study's theoretical framework for inquiry. A diagram illustrates this framework. The discussion papers were used to focus and encourage feedback from academic staff in the leadership of the scientific and technological disciplines surveyed in the WISTA project. The project tested knowledge and attitudes and sought informed opinions on needs and priorities by circulating a discussion paper for each of the 10 factors. The 10 core factors were then related to four concepts: (1) institutional ecology; (2) critical mass; (3) the perceived masculinity or femininity of disciplines; and (4) the constructed style and content of scientific and technological disciplines. The 10 factors and papers concern: (1) same sex role… [PDF]

Hill, Lance (1993). Common Ground Race Relations Study Guide. A Study Guide for Small Group Discussions on Race Relations. This document is designed to promote constructive dialogue about racial problems and solutions. Because racial conflict remains the single greatest obstacle for urban economic growth and political harmony, it is necessary to find common ground for solutions to racial inequality and conflict by opening lines of communication between blacks and whites. The discussion process is composed of 3 stages: (1) sharing personal racial experiences and beliefs; (2) defining the terms of discussion and the nature of the problems; and (3) examining 3 alternative remedies for racial inequality. Divided into 13 sections, the guide first explores what a study circle is. The second section contains instructions for organizing race relations discussions. The 3rd section discusses the role of the participant. The next 2 sections discuss leading a study circle in general and a race relations discussion in particular. The 6th section lists 5 goals for a race relations discussion. The 7th section… [PDF]

Scull, Sharon D. (1989). AB 1725: Human Resources Development Plan for the Period February 1-June 30, 1989, and Staff Development Plan, 1989-90. Both of the reports contained in this document provide information on Glendale Community College's (GCC's) staff development plan, including information on ongoing efforts and special intensified programs supported by Assembly Bill (AB) 1725 funding. The first report reviews the college's plans to use AB 1725 to supplement ongoing efforts to respond to the changing professional needs of instructional, administrative, and classified employees. The report explains that while GCC already offers in-service activities focusing on instruction, research, publication, team building, strategic planning, governance, campus operations, and outreach programs, the AB 1725 monies enhance these activities through the funding of consultants, lectures, conferences, seminars, and retreats. The report also describes the methods and results of a November 1988 staff development survey, which pointed to the need for: (1) instructor training across the curriculum for teaching oral and written…

Hunt, Todd; Thompson, David W. (1987). Making PR Macho: Reversing the Sex Gap in Undergraduate Public Relations Programs. The sharp decline in the number of male undergraduates registering for public relations (PR) courses has created concern that public relations is becoming a "woman's field" and will experience a concomitant drop in salaries and prestige. Studies indicate that male undergraduates perceive PR as being not well respected, as offering little or no chance for advancement in the business world, and as paying low salaries. Current public relations educators should put a new emphasis on training students (women in particular) to take leadership roles in complex organizations; should strive for a balance of the sexes so that "gender" is not viewed by anyone in management as an important determinant of the character of the field; and should actively recruit male undergraduates for the study of public relations, with an eye toward maintaining parity of the sexes. When Rutgers University (New Jersey) discovered that its undergraduate PR courses were composed of 25% males, it…

Hamre, William; Holsclaw, Mick (1989). 1989-90 Implementation of the Management Information System. For the past three years, the Board of Governors has made the development and implementation of the California Community College Management Information System (MIS) a major priority. Following two years of pilot testing with five community college districts, statewide implementation of Phase I of MIS is slated to begin in July/August 1989. Several critical findings regarding data collection and reporting emerged from the pilot project, including the following: (1) the new reporting requirements will need to be introduced over a two-year period to allow for thorough testing and implementation of new data collection mechanisms; (2) the Chancellor's Office needs to take a more structured approach to the development of definitions for data elements and reporting requirements and the clarification of the roles of various state agencies; and (3) additional staff are needed to ensure data accuracy, access, and use. Phase I will focus on gathering data on student outcomes, beginning with… [PDF]

Wu, Frank H. (2004). Brown at 50: Keeping Promises. Black Issues in Higher Education, v21 n7 p50 May. The story of Brown is compelling. Blacks and Whites alike understood that the Jim Crow system of "separate but equal" was a convenient fiction. There was no actual effort to ensure that Whites and Blacks were provided the same services. Invariably, the White schools had higher funding, better buildings, newer supplies and so on. Indeed, in many instances there was simply no Black counterpart offered, and Southern states actually paid to send talented African Americans to school elsewhere. Before he was appointed to the bench, Thurgood Marshall led the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in a lengthy struggle to undo "separate but equal." With a network of volunteers who were literally risking their lives, he traveled to often hostile courtrooms where they were successful as no other team of lawyers had been before or has been since. Today, Americans still face the dilemma of nice principles, and mean practices. They wish racial integration would appear automatically or…

Spriggs, William, Ed. (1999). The State of Black America, 1999: The Impact of Color-Consciousness in the United States. The economic state of black America has never been healthier, yet persistent racial gaps leave African American unemployment at levels more typical of recession for whites in the United States. By challenging the predominant use of race, this compilation refocuses attention on the effects of discrimination and on the lost term "institutional racism." In so doing, it helps maintain the defense of affirmative action. These essays reinforce the position that race is not a biological category but a social category, one that becomes a marker for creating or denying access to wealth. The essays are: (1) "The Cancer Gap: Research Needs of African Americans" (Brian D. Smedley); (2) "Family Environment and Intergenerational Well-Being: Some Preliminary Results" (Patrick L. Mason); (3)"The State of Black Europe" (Clarence Lusane); (4) "Color-Blind Redistricting and the Efficacy of Black Representation" (Ronald Walters); (5) "Unfinished… [PDF]

Sherman, Malcolm J.; Wood, Thomas E. (2001). Race and Higher Education: Why Justice Powell's Diversity Rationale for Racial Preferences in Higher Education Must Be Rejected. The assertion of the right of higher education institutions to use racial preferences in their admissions policies has been based on the diversity rationale that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell articulated in his opinion in the "Bakke v. Regents of the University of California" case of 1978. This report explores the legal and constitutional issues surrounding the diversity rationale in U.S. higher education, and the position taken by higher education accreditation agencies on the question. It reviews survey research of faculty and student opinion on affirmative action in higher education and empirical research testing the hypothesis that campus racial diversity is coordinated with beneficial educational outcomes. The paper argues that Justice Powell's diversity rationale must be rejected based on evidence from each of these areas of investigation. Part 1 shows that a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court did not reach agreement about the constitutional… [PDF]

Martinez, Katherine, Ed. (2000). FACCCTS: Journal of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, 1999-2000. FACCCTS, v6 n1-4 1999-2000. This document is comprised of four Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC) newsletters. The September 1999 issue is entitled "Capitol Comments: Read What Lawmakers Say about Community Colleges in Response to the Third FACCCTS Legislator Poll." This newsletter contains the following articles: "Capitol Comments," which examines how community colleges have touched the lives of legislators, why they think highly of the California Community Colleges system, and how they plan to help; and "Authors Debunk Prop 209 Myths," which demonstrates how practical affirmative action can be. The December 1999 issue is entitled "The Spirit of Advocacy." This newsletter contains the following articles: "Transform Partnership for Excellence," which sheds some light on the problems with Partnership for Excellence and why community college leaders must insist on changing; and "Transition to Trustee: A Faculty View," in which… [PDF]

Dervarics, Charles (2004). 'Change Takes Time' While the Names Have Changed-And Some of the Laws-Many Age-Old Debates in Higher Education Have Remained the Same over the Past 20 Years. Black Issues in Higher Education, v21 n9 p36 Jun. In the 1980s, a Republican president led a defense build-up in response to foreign crises, and his education secretary, chided the establishment on school reform. Legal experts debated the merits of affirmative action, while advocates questioned the growing reliance of students on loans instead of grants to finance a college education. Sound familiar? While the names have changed–and some of the laws–many of the age-old debates have remained the same in the years since the first editions of \Black Issues in Higher Education.\ In fact, some argue that the federal government did more for low-income students of color two decades ago than it does now. \We have driven down the ladder of opportunity,\ says Thomas Mortenson, senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. A staunch advocate of need-based financial aid, Mortenson says such aid represented 86 percent of the student aid budget in the mid-1980s. The rate is now 52 percent, due largely to…

McKay, Robert B. (1978). The Decision and Its Background. The facts and principal issues of the Bakke case, some of the strengths of the U. S. Supreme Court judgment, and some of the questions left for later resolution are considered. Bakke alleged violation of equal protection provisions, since he was denied admission to the University of California (Davis) medical school, although his test scores and grade point average were higher than most or all the 16 minority applicants who were accepted under a Task Force Program. After a trial court and California Supreme Court issued opinions, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case. The prevailing view on principal issues was that race and ethnic background may be considered along with other factors in higher education admissions decisions, and that Bakke must be admitted to the medical school at Davis because the procedures pursuant to which he was denied admission were invalid. It is suggested that the central message of the decision is an approval of affirmative action, and that the Davis… [PDF]

Sadock, Geoffrey J. (1995). Defending Literacy: With Particular Consideration of the Community College. The broad and highly politicized debate about the causes of rising illiteracy in the nation fall into three categories: nurture, or inadequate elementary/secondary educational institutions; nature, or arguments about genetics and the unteachability of Blacks and other minority groups; and social science, or the idea that standard literacy tests merely represent the injustice of the system. While each idea offers its own rationale, what is clear is that measures to reduce illiteracy must be more than cosmetic. Such measures, while controversial, include: reintroducing grammar instruction; scrapping bilingualism; constitutionally declaring English as the nation's only official language; reinterpreting affirmative action so that it fosters colorblind equal opportunity based on merit; re-establishing a canon of texts selected on literary excellence alone; returning remediation, \foundation\ learning, and differentiated degree programs to high schools; eliminating grade inflation;… [PDF]