Affirmative Action in the UC System

Abstract

Affirmative Action in the UC System By Donovan Riley Affirmative action was designed to provide opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups in areas such as the workforce and education. In education, affirmative action was used to provide opportunities for students of color where previously they didn’t exist. The University of California saw a great increase of students of color in the UC system. However, affirmative action didn’t last and eventually it was banned in the University of California. Many believe that race conscious admissions gave an unfair advantage to students of color so it had to be banned. Race conscious admissions might have afforded students of color a greater chance of admission into a prestigious school like UC Berkeley, but ultimately affirmative action was ended in the University of California due not to unfairness, but as a result of the political maneuverings of select members of the UC Board of Regents during the early 1990s.