On College Forms, a Question of Race, or Races, Can Perplex

New York Times ^ | June 13, 2011 | SUSAN SAULNY and JACQUES STEINBERG

[maica]

In the early 1070s Harvard University had a policy of not allowing racial identity on applications - I’m not sure why that policy was in effect.

A former brother-in-law of mine applied for a fellowship leading to a PhD and was accepted, based on the data he put on his application. A photograph was forbidden.

Name: neutral first and last name
Address: inner city Baltimore
Current Job: teaching in a predominantly black middle school
Studies: taking courses at Morgan - historically black college in Baltimore

When he got to Harvard and met the head of the department, he could see that the professor was uncomfortable. Then the professor actually said to him, “do you realize that you have been awarded the black fellowship?” Ken said, “no, I had no idea,” (thinking that it was the Stanley S. Black Scholarship or such.)

He had been profiled by the selection committee, who thought they had chosen a qualified black from Baltimore.

Hah! Ken was Jewish, from Long Island.

This is my favorite ‘affirmative action’ story.

[Pollster1]

The correct solution is to check “african-american,” regardless of racial past. Just break and abuse the system until it ceases to work.

That's not breaking and abusing the system, just recognizing science. Who are we to argue with the experts?

According to ScienceDaily (May 10, 2007) . . . The research confirms the “Out Of Africa” hypothesis that all modern humans stem from a single group of Homo sapiens who emigrated from Africa 2,000 generations ago and spread throughout Eurasia over thousands of years. These settlers replaced other early humans (such as Neanderthals), rather than interbreeding with them.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I personally know someone who is in an interracial marriage where one of the partners also has some Chinese, Indian and Thai ancestry. Their children could not possibly answer this question (and have every right to feel thoroughly offended for being asked)

[DesertSapper]

My paternal great-grandmother was Choctaw. My maternal great-grandmother was Cherokee. My paternal "caucasian" line was primary Nordic. My maternal "caucasian" line was a mix from southern Spain (Moorish? Basque?) and Irish (we think). 7+ generations back it gets so hazy no one has a clue how much of a mutt I really am.

So what box(es) do I check on the application?

[pnh102]

This is my favorite ‘affirmative action’ story.

Did he get to keep the scholarship?

[maica]

Yes, he did get his PhD. Harvard couldn’t tell him that he had the wrong skin color.

[TheThirdRuffian]

“So what box(es) do I check on the application? “

African American. Break the system.

[Rocketwolf68]

I can’t wait until they start the DNA testing and eye color selection. Paging Joseph Mengela! Please pick up the white, er bone colored courtesy phone!