BENCHMARKS
On
Affirmative Action
This
week, the U.S. Supreme Court debates
the future of affirmative action
in university admissions. The implications
of the Court's ruling will be critical
to colleges and universities across
the country and may influence policies
and programs beyond admissions. Thus,
there is no more important time to
reaffirm that the University of Pennsylvania
embraces diversity as critical to
our core mission of preparing graduates
to live and thrive in a global society.
We
view diversity several ways: as central
to the protection of our academic freedom
in assembling a student body that serves
our educational mission; as a vehicle
for meeting the expressed needs of professions
and society's institutions for graduates
of all backgrounds; and as a rich source
of knowledge and insight.
Penn
can trace its commitment to diversity
directly to Benjamin Franklin, who
founded Penn as America's first secular,
non-sectarian college to produce
graduates whose ideas and works would
benefit humanity. Since the global
society, broadly, and American society,
in particular, are made up of men
and women from all races, faiths,
economic backgrounds, and national
origins--not to mention interests,
talents, and political beliefs--our
students' education depends upon
full and frequent exposure to a broad
range of students and ideas.
Our
mission, at its core, is to educate.
And we believe that homogeneity stifles
learning. By adopting admissions
policies that embrace diversity,
Penn creates a richer environment
that offers all our students the
opportunity to deepen their understanding
of the world through exposure to
peers whose ideas, background, and
cultures differ from their own. Our
students emerge from these encounters
more fluent in other cultures, more
aware of the ways that prejudice
thwarts intellectual growth and social
progress, and better prepared for
the challenges of humane leadership
in local, national, and global arenas.
Our
commitment to diversity is also a logical
extension of our pedagogical mission to
educate our students for professional
success and active citizenship. We encourage,
and even require our students to take
courses in a wide variety of disciplines
because we want them to acquire an expanded
range of skills, knowledge, experience,
and perspectives that they will need in
the world beyond the University. Otherwise,
we shortchange our students by allowing
them to remain safely in their respective
comfort zones.
Last
year, the Trustees reaffirmed their
general commitment to diversity by
adopting the following statement:
"Penn
rejoices in the rich diversity of persons,
groups, views, and academic disciplines
and programs that grace the campus of
the nation's first university. Tapping
our diversity to strengthen ties across
all boundaries enriches the intellectual
climate and creates a more vibrant community.
Fostering and nourishing this diversity,
especially among students, faculty, staff,
and trustees must remain central to the
core missions of the University."
In
2003, Penn is thriving as never before,
and we have the markers of academic excellence
and success to prove it. As an expression
of our commitment to diversity as a core
institutional value, affirmative action
has been an important component of our
strategy to bring exceptional students
from all backgrounds, interests, and talents
into Penn's community of scholars, and
these students have played an important
part in our success.
Penn
remains committed to the ongoing pursuit
of intellectual, cultural, social, and
ethnic diversity within our community.
Diversity is not just a buzzword. It's
a critical commitment to the life and
mission of this great University to offer
our students a superior education and
to serve the public good.
James
Riepe, Chairman, Board of Trustees
Judith
Rodin, President
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