PUBLICATIONS

October 17, 2001

 

STEPHEN COELEN, PATRICIA CROSSON AND JOSEPH BERGER

Affirmative action in college admissions has been debated as a useful policy for creating qualified, diverse student bodies. The minority student population in New England colleges and universities is growing but remains lower than its white counterpart.

This report examines affirmative action admissions policies and their effects on diversity in higher education, as well as public perceptions of those policies. The most compelling conclusion from the report is that there is no significant evidence that colleges have lowered standards to admit a greater number of minority students.

 

By increasing educational access to a broader segment of the population, the region’s higher education institutions have taken crucial steps toward assuring the vitality and vibrancy of New England’s future economy and civic life.