reply to 4 students using 120 words or more towards each student and ADD a direct question to each reply. Ensure each name is with its corresponding reply.
1st Student Colin Gordon
Notably, the past issues of racial prejudices, inequality and discrimination are deep rooted challenges that conflicted minorities in US society. In the United States, affirmative action was first created by Executive Order 10925, signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. It required that government employers “not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, or national origin.” (HG.org, 2022). The remedial effort put forward by the Affirmative Action was executed to level the playing field (by discouraging discriminating practices and racial prejudices and creating more employment opportunities for minorities) in a racially segregated era. The purpose of affirmative action is to promote social equality through the preferential treatment of socioeconomically disadvantaged people. Often, these people are disadvantaged for historical reasons like years of oppression or slavery (HG.org, 2022). Though the Affirmative action initially focused on addressing employment challenges, it has since broadened or extended to the education system, which is also an important pillar of US society. There have been other legislative/federal regulatory policies and laws put in place to further facilitate equality in employment and education since the establishment of Affirmative Action. By 1967, the list included gender and religion, and the policy aimed to promote anti-discrimination and equal opportunities for people who were previously oppressed, exploited, and exposed to discrimination (Corporate Financial Institute, 2022). The Executive Orders 10925 (aimed at equality for government employees) and 11375 (that add sex/ gender as another category requiring protective actions) as well as the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disability Act are some of the most significant legislative measures to come about following the Affirmative Action. On a personal level, my family has also benefited from Affirmative action where; my wife was able to complete her bachelor’s degree due to federal grants and eventually secure employment on my overseas tour, by means of the Military Spousal Preference Program. The Military Spouse Preference Program is quite beneficial in employment efforts because it gives hiring preferences to spouses to ease the burden of finding work after a move (Rob, 2020). It is also important to point out that the application process often require identifying what race spouses are apart of and is probably also part of the selection process. This can be seen as both a pro and con since; other spouses might miss out on employment opportunity due to racial implications in the hiring process.
Consequently, Affirmative action requires employers to establish certain recruiting and employment policies that favor minorities and provide certain provisions to facilitate equality. Affirmative actions include training programs, outreach efforts, and other positive steps. These procedures should be incorporated into the company’s written personnel policies. Employers with written affirmative action programs must implement them, keep them on file and update them annually (US Labor Department, n.d.). Moreover, Affirmative action motivates employers to afford special opportunities that bridge the disparity in racial and/social inaccessibility to various employment or educational advantages shared by certain groups in society. As such, there are deliberate implementation of anti-discriminatory and equal opportunity policies and procedures; to ensure that regulatory standards are being followed, thereby tackling these inequities and fostering diversity. Similarly, in the education system, Affirmative has impacted the way students are recruited and vetted in qualifying for entrance and financial-aide benefit opportunities as well. In that, it encourages education institutions to develop policies that provide financial support for minority/ disadvantaged students. Affirmative action at universities can take the form of grants, scholarships, and other types of financial aid that help provide financially distressed students with support to complete their education (Corporate Financial Institute, 2022). Unfortunately, there is a drawback/con to some of the governmental requirements enforced through Affirmative Action (since education institutions are often incentivized with specific quota requirement for minority student); with a significant criticism being that other qualified students may lose out on these opportunities, mainly due to their racial group (which in a way can be considered racist).
Write a paper exploring whether or not there is still a need for Affirmative Action, I would have to lean more in favor of its continuation, primarily because I have seen how it still provides equity in accessing employment and educational resources within American society. Opposers of Affirmative action have made claims that governmental use of Affirmative Action has resulted in reverse racism to some extent. The 2013 case of Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin in particular can be used as an example of how others consider the use of race in university admission to be reverse racism and a strong violation of the Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection. The case provided arguments by Abigail Fisher’s attorney who made claims that the student was denied admission to the University of Austin Texas due to her race. In a 4-3 decision delivered on June 23, 2016, the court held that UT-Austin’s race-conscious undergraduate admissions program did not violate the Equal Protection Clause; however, in his opinion for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy Anthony stipulated that “a college must continually reassess its need for race-conscious review (Ballotpedia (n.d.). The University won the case in this instance, however, the arguments proposed by opposers of Affirmative Active does have some validity and may end in a different verdict in future cases.
While there is a valid argument that can be made for reverse racism, and limited academic efforts based on minorities at times receiving preferential treatment (as a result of their race/ disability or social status within society), at the expense of other qualified individuals. However, statistics continue to show that minorities are still less successful financially when compared to other social groups regardless of the efforts made by Affirmative Active. The average black American earns close to 41 percent less income than the average white, while the typical Hispanic earns 27 percent less income than their white counterparts (Gordon and Wang, n.d.). There is still notable disparity in both opportunities and resources available to individuals in US society, depending on their race and social status. With that said, the Affirmative Action does provide equal opportunity for minorities and the disadvantaged population a chance at achieving economic prosperity, that can result in changes on a larger scale. More importantly, it is noteworthy that students who benefit from affirmative action at selective colleges, although perhaps lacking in some of the academic accolades their classmates possess, still must meet those colleges’ minimum standards for acceptance (Gordon and Wang, n.d.). Thus, Affirmative Action does provide educational opportunity in educational institutions enrollment of minority student, however perspective students still do have to work hard to maintain grades and keep their student status.
To conclude, the benefits of Affirmative action in helping minorities “entering doors” that would be extremely difficult without such measures is undeniable. Minorities are not only afforded employment and educational opportunities that can change their lives in so many ways. At the same time, the economical advancement made possible via Affirmative Action can lead to enhancement of families and communities, thereby contributing to prosperity on a larger scale. Nevertheless, there are valid concerns that can be presented with some of the practices encouraged in the hiring and recruitment processed that are fostered under Affirmative Action measures, that can be seen as counterproductive. When exploring Affirmative Action, it is crucial to consider both the pros and cons of implementing policies guided by Affirmative Action in various organizations. Both the historical significance of the necessity of Affirmative Action as well as current socioeconomic challenges afflicting minorities need to be explored. At the same time, practices that favor one social group over the other (regardless of the reason) can result in isolation and unfair treatment that can leave the “other” group feeling victimized/violated.
References
American Public University Edge. (August, 2020). Podcast: The Viability of Affirmative Action
in 2020. Retrieved from
Ballotpedia (n.d.). Affirmative action in Alabama. In Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved from
Bishakha (2020, February). 13 Advantages and Disadvantages of Affirmative Action. Honest
Pros and Cons. Retrieved from
Corporate Finance Institute (2022). Affirmative Action. Retrieved from
Gordon, J., & Miles Wang, M. (n.d.). Why We Still Need Affirmative Action. Retrieved from
HG.org. Legal Resources. (2022). What is Affirmative Action and Why Was it Created?
Retrieved from
Rob, V. (October, 2020). Military Spouse Preference Program. Retrieved from
.
US Department of Labor. (n.d). Affirmative Action. Retrieved from
2nd Student James Schauer
Specifically in the employment environment, two candidates are never “perfectly evenly qualified,” as Dr Deel mentions, but when we look at the hypothetical situation of two individuals who are, the affirmative action takes a look at minority demographics to help make the decision on who to hire to involve diversity in the workforce. For example, if both a White and Black applicant are evenly matched for the position, and the Black representation in the workforce is underrepresented, then affirmative action would suggest that the company chooses the Black candidate for hire.
Due to the nature of our current political climate, many feel there are still pros and cons to this scenario. Affirmative action began on the federal level and has bled into the private sector and evolved into an attempt to eliminate discrimination and prejudice across any kind of workforce, but still is only optional to some employers. So, the question remains: does affirmative action still need to be implemented? I argue YES.
Those that are against affirmative action have described a con known as “reverse discrimination,” which they argue is where you are now only giving preferential treatment toward the minority and actively discriminating against the White individual. Another con mentioned is that those who implement affirmative action can choose the minority just to check a box, where a minority with less experience or qualifications can be hired over a White individual with better qualifications. Finally, an argument is that in jobs, such as being a doctor, where there is a very small amount of Black people who even qualify, you are more likely to have a higher amount of White people because of the requirements in place (i.e. medical degree, etc.).
Looking at these cons, I think these are tiny compared to the pros. Firstly, with reverse discrimination, I think that this shouldn’t even be a part of the argument. White people have had better privileges and opportunities for centuries and have never been enslaved. Although we may not currently have slavery, the effects of slavery remain as systemic racism, built into our judicial system, the housing market, and most applicably to this argument, the workforce. If you were to choose a person of color over a White applicant, the White applicant would have a much easier time finding a job elsewhere than the person of color would.
Secondly, with companies who might apply affirmative action incorrectly, I think that this would still do more good than harm. Because people of color have a much smaller percentage of those who are able to get an education and thus become better qualified for jobs (which, as Dr Deel mentioned, is a whole other conversation), even if a company hires a Black person over a White person simply to satisfy the requirements of affirmative action, it can still be beneficial because we do not know how the individual will perform the job until they do it. This argument implies that people with the best qualifications will always get the job, which is not always the case. In the hiring process, there are still references to look at, an interview to conduct, and through this process, an individual with great on-paper qualifications can be determined to not be right for the position. White people feeling like they were the victim of affirmative action is entitlement.
Finally, with jobs that hardly have people of color who qualify, the company can still satisfy affirmative action requirements by offering opportunities such as grants, scholarships, or internships to allow individuals to have education opportunities or on-the-job training that they wouldn’t have had before. For example, in the military if you need a masters to reach a certain rank, the military has opportunities where they will pay for your education to reach that goal. Other companies can do the same. A company can hire an individual for a position such as “secretary,” and give the opportunity of paying for their education so they can work up to a higher qualifying job like “data-scientist.” If we allowed companies to skirt the responsibility of affirmative action based on a “lack of qualification,” then it would be easy for companies to avoid affirmative action ANY time.
Overall, I think the pros greatly out way the cons. With affirmative action, subconscious bias can be rectified, minority representation is increased in the workplace, and opportunities to all individuals are increased.
Firstly, regarding bias, Dr Deel mentions that everyone has bias, even if it isn’t completely known or recognized. You may think that you are deciding not to hire a Black person or a White person for legitimate reasons, but you can never know for sure. Dr Deel mentioned how people who see more traditionally African American names such as Tyrone or Jerome, the subconscious bias in many people is that they are less qualified or less professional. Even today, it’s perfectly legal to discriminate based on hair, and in the case of many Black people, their hair can be considered unprofessional, which is just one example of the systemic racism we see in the workforce. Having a requirement for diversity can encourage the removal of biases in the hiring process.
Secondly, regarding minority representation, this is beneficial for all businesses because you are able to get so many perspectives from so many backgrounds. A group of White people may have a completely different view on things compared to Black people or Hispanic people, simply because their experiences are all different. Having this much diversity in a workplace can spark an increased variety of ideas that can help progress the business forward. When you only have, say, a White-only perspective, a company can sound tone def, especially in cases where they might need to market towards minority demographics. For example, if a studio creates a movie about Asian culture and no Asian workers behind the scenes, it will almost certainly come off as stereotypical or racist, whereas if you have a more diverse group of people helping with the project and giving inputs on the nuances of their culture, it can become more genuine and representative of the targeted audience. Additionally, when you are able to market to a wider variety of communities, it becomes more economically beneficial for the company, as more people can feel like they are being represented and heard, generating more sales.
Finally, creating opportunities for all comes down to basic human rights. Even today there are still prejudices and biases that actively work against minorities that make it difficult to excel in the workforce. Having regulations in place to ensure diversity when hiring is just one foundational block to building true equality in the US. The difference between equality and equity is often overlooked. Because of centuries of White privilege and disadvantages of minorities, White people are simply born with certain advantages that people of color often do not. Equality gives everyone the same opportunities no matter where they begin and what privileges they already have, whereas equity tailors peoples’ opportunities in order to become equal. This is the goal of affirmative action and continues to be needed in the workforce.
Thanks! -James
3rd Student michael less
Step 1: Specify the Null Hypothesis: The null hypothesis has no difference, state, or effect between hypotheses—the constant between the two.
Step 2: Specify the Alternative Hypothesis: The Alternate is the hypothesis that you would be testing against the null to see if there are results.
Step 3: Set the Significance Level: This step can be considered the burden of proof needed to reject or break the null
Step 4: Calculate the Test Statistic and Corresponding P-Value: This step tests your hypothesis and gives a value for the results against the null
Step 5: Drawing a Conclusion: The conclusion drawn for the experiment results.
The three tests I would like to try in a business setting are as follows: Would it be better to hire more people for less pay and benefits or hire fewer people for higher pay and benefits. Which one would be better for the company. The second test would be to take an established product and see if you can mimic the quality for lower quality parts or parts reduction. The Final test would test our current production with a similar low-cost product output. To see if with lower cost can we produce the same product.
Please let me know your thoughts
4th Students Jacob Larson
Hypothesis tests can be used to evaluate whether evidence is strong enough to support a claim for a given population. Penn State University outlines 7 steps used in this type of statistical hypothesis testing.
Step 1: State the Null Hypothesis. The null hypothesis is what happens if the alternative hypothesis is not true. If the null hypothesis is true, that means the alternative hypothesis did not have the desired effect.
Step 2: State the Alternative Hypothesis. The alternative hypothesis is the hypothesis being tested, meaning that this is the hypothesis that shows there is an effect. This shows that at least one mean is different from the others.
Step 3: Set a-priori. An a-priori level of 0.05 shows a 95% confidence level.
Step 4: Collect Data. As simple as it sounds: collect data for the population you are sampling.
Step 5: Calculate Test Statistic. This means that you calculate the F value for the F statistic (for an F test).
Step 6: Construct Acceptance / Rejection Regions. Use the F critical value to create the accept and reject regions. “The critical value is the minimum value for the test statistic for us to be able to reject the null” (Penn State University, 2022).
Step 7: Based on Steps 5 and 6, Draw a Conclusion about Null Hypothesis. This final step involves comparing F calculated and F critical. If F calculated is larger than F critical, you reject the null hypothesis.
Three Examples of Hypotheses
One hypothesis test I would want to perform in my workplace would be to see whether completely remote work impedes the effectiveness of the engineering sections. I would have workers work one month in the office and one month completely from home. I would then measure the speed at which tasks were performed for each week in each month and use these as data points.
Another test I would perform in business would be in regards to sales. I would test if a certain type of product placement around the store was more beneficial to the product being sold. For instance, in a grocery store, I could place loaves of bread in a different section of the store each month (with the fruit, with the summer food, with the deli meats, with the cooked meats) and see which month had the most sales.
The third hypothesis test would be to see if there was any significance in the offering of seasonal items and their prices. I would have to test this based on yearly sales for seasonal items such as different foods and decorations. In one year, the seasonal items would be discounted each season. In the other year, the seasonal items would not be discounted. We would then be able to conclude which brings in the most profit and whether customers are deterred from buying seasonal items at higher costs.
Penn State University. (2022). The 7-step process of statistical hypothesis testing. Analysis of Variance and Design of Experiments.
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