On Tuesday, voters in Washington State dealt another blow to supporters of affirmative action by choosing to end preferences based on race and gender in state universities government hiring and contracting.

And though some Harvard professors--like Winthrop Professor of History Stephan A. Thernstrom--call affirmative action the "official religion of...college and university presidents," many say it should no longer exist.

The battle lines are drawn on a variety of fronts--from whether affirmative action is ideologically justified, to whether it has practical benefits. Regarding each thorny new complication, Harvard professors have their own opinions.

Diversity or Division?

Professors disagree on the reasons for affirmative action. Some say it is fair to give the disadvantaged an equal chance and that diversity is beneficial--while others argue it is contrary to the ideals of equality and individual merit.

"I think it's unjust to favor certain people because of their race," said Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield '53.

"It's also an offense to their pride because they know that they wouldn't have got it without the help of the government," he added.

But Thomas M. Scanlon, Alford Professor of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy and Civic Policy, takes just as strong a stance on the opposite side. "I'm a supporter of [affirmative action]," Scanlon said. "I don't think it's unfair."

Scanlon said he justifies affirmative action primarily because it is a powerful tool for breaking down stereotypes and racial divisions.

Using affirmative action to create diversity also helps add to the range of ideas, Scanlon said. Since he first began teaching in the 1960s, Scanlon said added diversity has increased the variety of opinions in his classes.

"The discussion has been better on academic grounds by the participation of a wider range of people," Scanlon said.

But one of Mansfield's chief criticisms of affirmative action is that it has destroyed the climate of America's universities--producing grade inflation and lowering expectations.

"A program of affirmative action says that social justice is more important than academic standards," Mansfield said.

He added that he is not an opponent of diversity--but rather the means by which universities achieve it.

"It would enhance the life of a university if diversity were not achieved by unjust racial preferences," he said.

Does It Work?