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1 ETHICAL REFLECTION PAPERThe development of admissions standards and criteria have evolved over the years from only those who could afford the tuition to a more open access policy, with institutions of higher education having to implement stricter standards in which to stay true to their mission. The establishment of affirmative action policies to help ensure that employees are hired without regard to race, religion, national origin, and gender, eventually made their way into the admissions process on various campuses across the nation and helped to address the issue of how to become more accessible to underrepresented populations. However, through wanting to offer more students the opportunity to pursue higher education, many institutions were criticized for not diversifying their campuses enough. In order to address this issue of diversification, many institutions turned to race-based affirmative action admission decisions and thus, have had court cases made against them as some students have found these practices to be unethical or unmoral. As affirmative action continues to be a controversial issue within higher education, institutions must be careful to follow established policies and regulations while also considering new ideas to reach underrepresented populations that do not rely so heavily on race.SummaryOver the past few years, several race-based affirmative action cases have come to light; Fisher v. University of Texas and Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. With both of these cases, nothing new has been established as it pertains to college admissions as Gaetner (2014) states, there is still nothing unconstitutional about affirmative action, there is now nothing unconstitutional about banning it (para. 2). But with these two cases, doors to new alternatives are being opened for the admissions process and the involvement of affirmative action. Currently, affirmative action in admissions has a major focus on race, and ensuring a racially diverse population on campuses across the country. Some institutions do this by considering race in the application process by narrowly tailoring their standards to meet the needs and diversity of the campus, whereas some institutions prohibit race-based preferences altogether. However, many students have expressed concern with these admission tactics as white students feel they are being discriminated against for being part of the majority and students of color are becoming frustrated that they are being admitted to institutions primarily based on the color of their skin and not their hard work and merits. Many students share the same feelings as Pamela Swanigan who wants to ensure that students are treated as individuals regardless of race and regardless of other efforts to promote racial diversity (Gerber, 2014, para. 9). To counter the negative feelings associated with the current race-based affirmative action practices, many institutions have turned their attention to other alternatives that would including measuring and then valuing a students socioeconomic status, place (geographic diversity), and race. The belief is that these three variables together will help to produce both higher economic diversity and higher racial diversity than either race alone (affirmative action) or class alone (Bergeron and Greytak, 2014, para. 9). According to Gaetner (2014), many of these selective colleges have witnessed a rebound in their racial diversity by using these admission methods. Another alternative proposed by Gaetner (2014), is to help narrow the racial divide is for institutions to develop outreach programs in which they can connect with high-achieving low income students at an early age and encourage them to apply to selective universities. Oftentimes, these students do not realize their own talents and gifts and that they too can attend some of our nations top institutions of higher education, and not just because of the color of their skin.ReflectionFrom my experience in working at an institution that implements a selective admissions process, it is very difficult to not consider any of the facts that are presented to you, specifically race. Despite how much an institution may try to avoid a race-based affirmative action admissions process, I feel that it is inevitable that race can play a key role in the overall decision. I agree that the idea of turning to a combined class, geographic and race based alternative would help admissions administrators and campuses to diversify their campuses in several ways as well as boost college access to traditionally disadvantaged students from all backgrounds. I also agree that working with outreach programs is a very logical way in which to assist high-achieving low-income students to realize their potential and guide them in the right direction of a selective college or university. I did find the concepts and ideas presented to of an unbiased nature, which can be quite difficult when the discussion topic is that of affirmative action. However, if race-based affirmative action admissions processes should turn to more class-based alternatives, it is important that the cost of education also be addressed. It would be unfortunate to prepare high-achieving low-income students for entry into our nations selective institutions without preparing them for the financial responsibility as well.ImplicationsThrough learning about the impacts of both race-based and race-blind admissions decisions, I am able to better understand the implications of affirmative action in the admissions application and decisions process. As selective admissions institutions continue to move forward, it is important that affirmative action policies be examined for their accuracy, effectiveness, and ethical impact on the campus; affirmative action should not be used to simply meet a quota for racial diversity but should instead remain true to its original intent to provide higher education access to historically excluded and underrepresented populations.

ReferencesBergeron, D. & Greytak, S. (2014, August 8). Attacking the opportunity gap. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2014/08/29/new-approaches-attacking-racialeconomic-achievement-gap-essayGaertner, M. (2014, May 2). Next chapter in affirmative action. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2014/05/02/essay-urges-colleges-rethink-approaches-affirmative-actionGerber, S.D. (2014, August 15). Affirmative action and the crisis in higher education. Huffington Post Politics. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-d-gerber/affirmative-action-and-th_b_5675128.htmlJaschik, S. (2014, June 12). Place, Not Race. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/06/12/author-discusses-book-proposing-new-approach-affirmative-actionMoody-Adams, M. (2012, October 1). Toward real equality in higher education. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Beyond-Affirmative-Action/134762/Strauss, V. (2014, July 3). Why we still need affirmative action for African American in college admissions. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/07/03/why-we-still-need-affirmative-action-for-african-americans-in-college-admissions/

Feedback:Jessica--a very timely topic in the education world. Great work!J GoreJ Gore