To those who follow the real teachings of Dr. King, excellence through diversity is no surprise. Diversity is at the heart of academic excellence. Our students need to be prepared to function in an increasinsly multicultural. Affirmative action, we all recognize, is about access for women and people of color. But affirmative action is not a gift.
White men benefit from affirmative action.
They are the highest they have ever been. 94 percent of the freshmen who entered in the fall of 1992 returned for a second year. Berkeley is one of the most renowned intellectual institutions in the world. It is also one of the most diverse institutions in the world. Its triumphs would not have been possible without affirmative action.