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Coming to grips with the problems of race - interview with Council for Aid to Education's Commission on National Investment in Higher Education co-chair Thomas Kean - Interview

by Diverse Staff , July 11, 2007

I hope not because, again, that's in the nature of who we are. If we were a board that was going to make a national report, I would argue for much more diversity in views. But we're not that kind of board. We're a board to recommend to the president of the United States for his consideration. The president of the United States is totally committed to affirmative action. He's not going to change on that. To put an advisor to him who doesn't believe as he does doesn't make much sense. So, because of the kind of body we are to advise the President of the United States as to what he's going to say, that's the reason we're of a like view on affirmative action.

Do you think it will be possible to convey in your advice to the President that higher education can be a tool in the fight to strengthen race relations in America?

I think higher education has got to be a tool in two ways. First of all, in line with this report, higher education has got to be open for those people of every race who have the ambition and the ability to take advantage of it. And higher education has also taken on - and should take on - the responsibility to make sure those who have the ability can nevertheless find a way to achieve something in higher education. So it's got that responsibility.

The second obligation is to maintain a community on campus where diversity is treasured and where opportunity is granted. And where self-segregating is occurring, none of it is promoted by the institution. The institution promotes the broadest possible diversification so that students can benefit from all cultures and all backgrounds. That's part of their learning and that's the world they're going to live in when they leave the university.

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