People are scared about who will have access and opportunity. For Takaki and Sylvia Hurtado, limited access to the most elite institutions results from political choices. In California, tax dollars are being used to build more prisons rather than universities, Takaki said. Hurtado, associate professor of education, noted that for many years California has maintained a hierarchy of institutions that perpetuate economic and social class differences. Acknowledging that not everyone may have an opportunity to attend an elite university, rap artist and political activist Chuck D. said students should be prepared to do so.
Corporations also play a role in the affirmative action struggle, according to panelists.
Takaki urged Americans to be more critical of corporations, which increasingly are moving their manufacturing operations to other countries to reduce labor costs. Such actions are short-sighted, Takaki added, and frighten workers, who fear for their future. The notion of unlimited opportunity is a myth, according to Robert B. Porter. This is a political struggle. The colloquium concluded with the sharing of summaries of discussions from the small group sessions.