Friday, August 18, 2006
Just for fun
Let's do some comparison on "multiracial" categories. As I discovered, the new recommendations don't have a multiracial box like Ward Connerly's 2004 proposal did, but students who mark off more than one race will still be reported as a general "multiracial" category (as long as they're not Hispanic). By the way, currently, students who mark off more than one race are just called the least reported of the races they mark, so it's not like race is being accurately reported now. But Connerly's proposal was terrible, while the new one is awesome. Let's see if we can figure out why.
For added degree of difficulty, I'll use nothing but Daily Cal articles.
March 2004:
"Yet Connerly's history as a staunch affirmative action opponent may affect the way his proposal is received." Prescient?
"I disagree with Connerly's proposed method of collecting racial data," said Student Regent Matt Murray, "The most appropriate way to address this issue is to let people check off all boxes that apply." And, after students feel good about all those check marks, we'll turn around and just report one race.
"Having a multiracial box camouflages the issues that different cultural groups are facing," said Graduate Assembly President Jessica Quindel. November 2004:
"(The proposal) denies students and the population at large the right to hold UC accountable to ensuring that we have an actual representative student body that reflects our state's population," said BAMN member and ASUC Senator Yvette Felarca. "To me it's sort of like a softer version of Prop. 54 because it's hiding information-it doesn't clarify anything."
The ASUC Senate passed a bill last week denouncing the multiracial box. Note that arbitrarily assigning multiracial folks to one of their races isn't seen as "hiding information." Also note that Felarca's concern is so she has material for her whining.
The Daily Cal came up with its usual enlightened judgment: This is a bad idea. Instead, let's report every race! Then, with the power set of racial categories (which "will not be a massive overhaul for the U.S. Department of Education" by changing the 5 categories to 31) everyone will be happy! And by no means should we take a step towards that by letting Ward Connerly succeed at something.
It failed because "it left UC unaccountable for collecting data on racial minorities."
August 2006:
But Yvette Felarca, director of the local chapter of civil rights group By Any Means Necessary, said the new proposal sounded constructive.
"We support students being able to self-identify with their race as long as it's specific and it can make campuses accountable for the demographic makeup of their student body," Felarca said. She still wants to make sure she has something to whine about, but the exact same proposal is now constructive, once Ward Connerly isn't behind it.
The new Daily Cal likes the idea.
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