In sharp contrast, most affirmative action plans seek to increase the pool of qualified applicants by using aggressive recruitment and outreach techniques. Flexible goals are created only in order to evaluate progress. Affirmative action simply asks that a sincere effort be made to include persons who have previously been excluded due to legal and illegal discrimination in this country. Politicians and others seeking to discredit affirmative action falsely equate it with quotas. Actually, affirmative action is an attempt to remove all preferences.
Preferences are nothing new to academic institutions.
Students continue to be admitted into colleges and universities across the country based on non-academic considerations such as veteran status, financial contributions, athletic skill, and even geographic location. Affirmative action has never been about admitting unqualified people or admitting people solely because of their color or sex. Rather, affirmative action attempts to admit qualified candidates who have traditionally been excluded, intentionally or otherwise. Furthermore, all affirmative action candidates must earn their place and, if admitted, must compete with everyone else. As a result, white men continue to benefit,albeit unintentionally.