Answers to Questions About
Affirmative Action

The Maricopa Community College District is a federal contractor subject to Executive Order 11246 which prescribes affirmative action in hiring women and minorities. Affirmative action is a topic of great debate in political circles, corporate cultures and surely within higher education. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions on affirmative action.

What exactly is affirmative action?

Affirmative action is a tool used to reach the goal of fair employment and eliminate effects of past discrimination. In applying the doctrine, a contractor ensures that applicants and employees are treated equally, without regard to their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. To accomplish this, the contractor develops a program that targets underutilized areas (i.e., job groups with a smaller representation of minorities or women in proportion to their actual representation in the qualified labor market). Affirmative action directs outreach and recruitment to these areas.

Does affirmative action require quotas or "set asides" for minorities and women?

Affirmative action does not require that quotas or "set asides" be established. Where minorities or women are underutilized, hiring or promotional goals are established, per the Executive Order requirements.

Is affirmative action still in effect?

Recent events--such as the passing of Proposition 209 in California which requires that the state "not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting," and the last presidential election where affirmative action became a campaign issue--have left many unclear as to its status. Although Prop. 209 impacts only California, other states have introduced similar measures. If Arizona enacts such a law, MCCCD would still have an affirmative action program since state laws cannot overrule federal mandates.

Does MCCCD practice affirmative action in admissions?

Many public colleges and universities consider factors such as race and gender among other criteria in student admissions. But MCCCD has an open-door policy and does not use race or gender as an admissions criterion. While MCCCD's affirmative action plan highlights college activities and efforts related to the outreach and recruitment of minority and women students, official goals and
timetables are for employees only.

MCCCD students are covered under the nondiscrimination policy for resolving complaints by students who believe they have been adversely affected by illegal or MCCCD-prohibited discrimination by the college/center, MCCCD, or its students or employees. Complaints may be based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, age, and physical or mental disability.

How does affirmative action affect me in my employment?

When practiced effectively, affirmative action should not negatively impact any person within the organization. Affirmative action efforts generally take place during the recruitment and selection process and are designed to attract more qualified candidates and provide broad perspectives on selection committees. A successful recruitment makes an applicant pool more competitive. In addition, affirmative action causes an organization to review how its employees are progressing within the organization and to assess if it has barriers that affect promotional opportunities.

Isn't affirmative action really reverse discrimination?

The term "reverse discrimination" has been used to suggest that the efforts to practice affirmative action for one group automatically result in discrimination against another. But an affirmative action program that focuses on underutilized areas and eliminates barriers to ensure all applicants have a fair opportunity to compete need not result in reverse discrimination.

Moreover, EEO laws extend to all persons who believe they have been adversely affected by illegal discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment), physical or mental disability, age (over 40), Vietnam-era/disabled veteran status. MCCCDs' nondiscrimination policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation as well.

MCCCD Volunteers Sought

Hoping to broaden participation in the hiring process, the Maricopa Community Colleges' Affirmative Action Office, in conjunction with Employee Services, is developing a database of persons interested in serving on committees that screen applications for employment. The database will be a resource from which screening committee chairs can draw membership.

If you are interested in serving, or for additional information, contact the Affirmative Action Office at 480-731-8885.

Published in the Fall 1997 Edition of In Brief