Although the University should and does seek diversity of many kinds, racial and cultural diversity must be part of the mix. We cannot otherwise teach our students all that they need to know about the diverse society and the multinational economy in that they will be leading their lives. We cannot afford to waste the talents of any of our citizens, and we cannot afford the social unrest and divisiveness that flow from unequal opportunity. This is true today and will become even more urgently true in the future, as the U.S. minority population grows and as the global economy puts an increasing premium on our ability to understand and interact with other cultures. Diversity has important educational benefits in and of itself.
Students learn from one another, both in the classroom and outside.
Those who spend these crucial years in the company of people unlike themselves are better prepared for life and work in modern society. On measures of qualities from critical thinking to intellectual self-confidence to leadership, students educated in diverse environments come out ahead.