Portland State University’s Center for Academic Excellence will hold a discussion about affirmative action today as a part of its Focus on Diversity series.
The forum, moderated by Jon Joiner, director of PSU’s Multicultural Center, will feature a panel of speakers, including university President Daniel Bernstine.
Napoleon Linardatos, PSU student and editor of the Spectator, is also scheduled to speak.
Linardatos is openly against the use of affirmative action and does not believe race should be used as criteria for entrance into a public university.
“It doesn’t solve the problem,” he said.
Linardatos feels that affirmative action confuses cause and effect, and thinks that there are other ways to let minority students into colleges.
“It is wrong to judge people on skin color,” he said. “Affirmative action doesn’t work, but maybe this is the best solution for now.”
Burt Christopherson, the director of PSU’s Office of Affirmative Action, says that the panelists will probably discuss “how we do affirmative action, not whether or not we should.”
The forum is based around a case involving the University of Michigan Law School, which was reported to have been admitting minority students proportionally to national standards.
Christopherson said affirmative action is a bigger deal with such highly selective schools as University of Michigan, whereas most Oregon schools do not have particularly selective admission standards.
The forum will also ask what role diversity should play in universities and professional schools, as well as discussing how to create diversity fairly.
Other speakers include Agnes Hoffman, associate vice provost for PSU’s enrollment management; Willamette University President Lee Pelton; and Joey Coon, an editorial board member of the Spectator
The forum is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. today in Smith Memorial Student Union, Room 228.