public opinion on affirmative action - aei · while the dearth of recent surveys limits our ability...
TRANSCRIPT
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
About the Report
On June 23, the Supreme Court decided Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin in a close 4-3
ruling upholding the university’s affirmative action program. Affirmative action is not a subject
the major pollsters examine on a regular basis, and they have not asked any questions about it in
2016. While the dearth of recent surveys limits our ability to understand the public’s current
attitudes toward affirmative action, the available historical data provide some insights into
consistencies and shifts in public opinion on the topic. Here we present a compilation of
questions asked by pollsters over the years about affirmative action generally and about
affirmative action in college admissions.
Key insights:
Americans generally support affirmative action in employment and education, but oppose
preferential treatment.
Non-white Americans are more likely to support affirmative action than white
Americans.
In surveys that ask about affirmative action for different groups, support is consistently
higher for affirmative action programs for women than for affirmative action programs
for minorities.
Americans seem to favor increasing diversity in colleges, but not preferences in
admissions based on race or ethnicity.
Most people say affirmative action has not affected them personally.
The data in this report come from the archive of public opinion polls at AEI and from the Roper Center
for Public Opinion Research’s iPOLL Databank. To learn more about the Roper Center, visit
http://ropercenter.cornell.edu/.
The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) educational organization
and does not take institutional positions on any issues. The views expressed here are those of the
author(s).
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Table of Contents Views of Affirmative Action Over Time ...................................................... 1
Support for Affirmative Action .........................................................................1
Preferences/Preferential Treatment ................................................................7
Additional Assessments ...............................................................................11
Overall Impact and Necessity ............................................................11
Personal Impact .................................................................................14
Income-based Affirmative Action .......................................................14
Affirmative Action in Higher Education ....................................................16
Quotas ..........................................................................................................16
Preferences in Admissions ...........................................................................19
Affirmative Action and Diversity on College Campuses ................................21
Major Supreme Court Cases ........................................................................23
Additional Assessments ...............................................................................25
1
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Views of Affirmative Action Over Time This section focuses on general attitudes toward affirmative action. Question wording notably
affects views of the topic, with Americans responding more favorably to questions that ask only
about affirmative action than to questions that ask about giving preference or preferential
treatment. We have divided this section between the former and the latter type of question. We
also examine perceptions about the impact of affirmative action.
The only recently updated national trend on affirmative action is from Gallup, and it
shows increasing favorability. In Gallup’s 2015 survey, 58 percent said they were in favor of
affirmative action for minorities, up from 47 percent in 2001. Americans were more supportive
of affirmative action for women, with 67 percent in favor in 2015, up from 59 percent in 2003.
Earlier surveys similarly show that people respond more favorably to affirmative action
questions about only women or including women than to questions about only minorities.
Support for affirmative action has consistently differed along racial lines, with white
respondents expressing less favorable views. In a 1987 Harris survey, one of the earliest about
general affirmative action for which demographic breakdowns are available, 67 percent of
whites, compared to 83 percent of blacks, were in favor of affirmative action for women and
minorities in employment and education. In a 2000 Gallup survey, 55 percent of whites,
compared to 79 percent of blacks, favored affirmative action for women and minorities. In
Gallup’s 2015 survey, 53 percent of whites, compared to 77 percent of blacks and 61 percent of
Hispanics, were in favor of affirmative action for racial minorities. Sixty-three percent of whites,
compared to 80 percent of blacks and 74 percent of Hispanics, were in favor of affirmative
action for women.
Support for Affirmative Action
Do you favor or oppose federal laws requiring affirmative action programs for women and
minorities in employment and education, provided there are no rigid quotas?
Favor Oppose
Sep. 1985 Harris 75% 21%
Jul. 1987 Harris 69 25
May 1991 Harris 75 22
Jul. 1991 Harris 70 24
Demographic Breakdown, Whites
Favor Oppose
Jul. 1987 67% 28%
May 1991 71 25
Demographic Breakdown, Blacks
Favor Oppose
Jul. 1987 83% 11%
May 1991 93 4
2
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Do you favor or oppose federal laws requiring racial preference for minorities in
employment and education, provided there are no rigid quotas?
Favor Oppose
Jul. 1991 Harris 46% 48%
Do you favor or oppose strengthening affirmative action laws for women, blacks, and
minorities?
Favor Oppose
Sep. 1994 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49% 43%
Do you generally favor or oppose affirmative action programs for women and minorities?
Favor Oppose
Mar. 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 55% 34%
Nov. 1997* Gallup/CNN/USA Today 56 36
Jan. 2000 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 58 33
Note: *Asked of a half sample.
Jan. 2000 Demographic Breakdown
Favor Oppose
Whites 55% 36%
Blacks 79 13
Male 53% 41%
Female 63 26
Do you generally favor or oppose affirmative action programs for racial minorities?
Favor Oppose
Jun. 2001 Gallup 47% 44%
Jun. 2003 Gallup 49 43
Jun. 2005 Gallup 50 42
Jun.–Jul. 2013 Gallup 58 37
Jun.–Jul. 2015 Gallup 58 37
Demographic Breakdown, Whites (Non-Hispanic)
Favor Oppose
Jun. 2001 44% 48%
Jun. 2003 44 49
Jun. 2005 44 49
Jun.–Jul. 2013 51 44
Jun.–Jul. 2015 53 42
3
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Demographic Breakdown, Blacks
Favor Oppose
Jun. 2001 69% 23%
Jun. 2003 70 21
Jun. 2005 72 21
Jun.–Jul. 2013 76 20
Jun.–Jul. 2015 77 19
Demographic Breakdown, Hispanics
Favor Oppose
Jun. 2001 64% 23%
Jun. 2003 63 28
Jun. 2005 62 25
Jun.–Jul. 2013 69 25
Jun.–Jul. 2015 61 30
Do you generally favor or oppose affirmative action programs for women?
Favor Oppose
Jun. 2003 Gallup 59 34
Jun. 2005 Gallup 59 34
Jun. 2013 Gallup 68 26
Jun.–Jul. 2015 Gallup 67 28
Jun.–Jul. 2015 Demographic Breakdown
Favor Oppose
Men 62% 33%
Women 72 23
Whites (Non-Hispanic) 63% 33%
Blacks 80 18
Hispanics 74 21
Do you generally favor or oppose affirmative action programs for minorities and women for
admissions to colleges and universities?
Favor Oppose
Aug. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 56% 39%
Do you generally favor or oppose affirmative action programs for minorities and women for
job hiring in the workplace?
Favor Oppose
Aug. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 58% 36%
4
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
I’d like to read you a list of some programs and proposals that are being discussed in this
country today. For each one, please tell me whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or
strongly oppose it . . . Affirmative action programs designed to help blacks, women, and
other minorities get better jobs and education?
Favor Oppose
Jul.–Aug. 2003 Pew 64% 31%
Mar. 2005 Pew* 67 28
Jan. 2007 Pew 70 25
Note: *In March 2005, the question was not part of a list of items.
In order to overcome past discrimination, do you favor or oppose affirmative action
programs designed to help blacks, women, and other minorities get better jobs and
education?
Favor Oppose
Aug. 1995 Times Mirror/PSRA 58% 36%
Apr.–May 2003 Pew 63 29
Sep.–Oct. 2007 Pew 60 30
Note: All asked of a half sample.
Sep.-Oct. 2007 Demographic Breakdown
Favor Oppose
White 52% 37%
Black 89 6
Hispanic 77 6
In order to overcome past discrimination, do you favor or oppose affirmative action
programs, which give special preferences to qualified blacks, women, and other minorities in
hiring and education?
Favor Oppose
Aug. 1995 Times Mirror/PSRA 46% 46%
Apr.–May 2003 Pew 57 35
Sep.–Oct. 2007 Pew 46 40
Note: All asked of a half sample.
Sep.-Oct. 2007 Demographic Breakdown
Favor Oppose
White 39% 47%
Black 78 13
Hispanic 61 26
5
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
In order to make up for past discrimination, do you favor or oppose programs which make
special efforts to help blacks and other minorities get ahead?
Favor Oppose
May 2013 PRRI 68% 24%
Demographic Breakdown
Favor Oppose
White 61% 31%
Black 81 10
Hispanic 88 9
Do you favor or oppose affirmative action programs for minorities in hiring, promoting, and
college admissions?
Favor Oppose
May–Jun. 2013 CBS/NYT 53% 38%
Follow-up question asked of those who favor affirmative action programs:
What’s the main reason you favor these programs? Is it more to make up for the
discrimination or more to increase diversity?
To make up for Increase
discrimination diversity Both equal
May–Jun. 2013 CBS/NYT 24% 63% 8%
Do you think most government affirmative action programs in hiring, promoting, and college
admissions should be continued, or do you think these affirmative action programs should be
abolished?
Should be Should be
continued abolished
Aug. 1996 CBS/NYT* 45% 43%
Oct. 1996 CBS 55 34
Dec. 1996 CBS 50 40
Dec. 1997 CBS/NYT 41 47
Jan. 2003 CBS/NYT 54 37
Oct. 2012 CBS 44 35
Note: *Asked of registered voters.
6
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
What do you think should happen to affirmative action programs? Should they be ended now,
or should they be phased out over the next few years, or should affirmative action programs
be continued for the foreseeable future?
Should be
continued Should be Should be
for future phased out ended now
Dec. 1997 CBS/NYT 41% 40% 12%
Feb. 2000 CBS 45 38 10
Jan. 2006 CBS 36 33 12
7
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Preferences/Preferential Treatment
While most people support affirmative action, they oppose preferential treatment. When Gallup
first asked in 1977 about how women and minorities should be treated in getting jobs and places
and college, only 10 percent said they should be given preferential treatment to make up for past
discrimination. Eighty-three percent said ability should be the main consideration. In ABC News
polls from 2001 and 2003, Americans were more than twice as likely to support programs giving
women and minorities “assistance—but not preference—getting into college, getting a job, or
getting a promotion” than they were to support giving these groups “preference over white men.”
Only 33 percent in a 2012 Pew Research Center survey agreed that “we should make every
possible effort to improve the position of blacks and other minorities even if it means giving
them preferential treatment,” while 62 percent disagreed. Responses to this question were
sharply divided by race: Twenty-two percent of white respondents agreed, compared to 62
percent of black respondents.
Some people say that to make up for past discrimination, women and members of minority
groups should be given preferential treatment in getting jobs and places in college. Others
say that ability, as determined by test scores, should be the main consideration. Which point
comes closest to how you feel on this matter?
Ability should be Preferential treatment
main consideration should be given
Mar. 1977 Gallup 83% 10%
Oct. 1977 Gallup 81 11
Dec. 1980 Gallup 83 10
Jan. 1984 Gallup 84 10
Dec. 1989 Gallup 84 10
Jun. 1991 Gallup 83 10
Demographic Breakdown, Whites
Mar. 1977 86% 8%
Oct. 1977 84 9
Dec. 1980 87 7
Jan. 1984 87 8
Dec. 1989 88 7
Jun. 1991 84 9
Demographic Breakdown, Blacks
Mar. 1977 64% 27%
Oct. 1977 55 30
Dec. 1980 57 29
Jan. 1984 63 29
Dec. 1989 56 32
Jun. 1991 69 21
8
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Do you believe that, because of past discrimination against black people, qualified blacks
should receive preference over equally qualified whites in such matters as getting into
college or getting jobs, or not?
Should receive
preference Should not
Feb. 1988 Gallup/Newsweek
(Whites) 14% 80%
(Blacks) 40 50
Apr. 1991 Gallup/Newsweek
(Whites) 19% 72%
(Blacks) 48 42
Mar. 1993 Gallup/Newsweek
(National adult) 20% 77%
Mar. 1995 PSRA/Newsweek
(National adult) 19% 75%
Because of past discrimination, should qualified blacks receive preference over equally
qualified whites in such matter as getting into college or getting jobs?
Should receive
preference Should not
Jun. 1993 LAT 17% 78%
Because of past discrimination, should qualified minorities receive preference over equally
qualified whites in such matter as getting into college or getting jobs?
Should receive
preference Should not
Mar. 1995 LAT 22% 72%
Because of past discrimination, should qualified women receive preference over equally
qualified men in such matter as getting into college or getting jobs?
Should receive
preference Should not
Mar. 1995 LAT 25% 70%
9
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Do you support or oppose government and private programs that give women, blacks, and
other minorities preference over white men getting into college, getting a job, or getting a
promotion?
Support Oppose
Jan. 2001 ABC/Washington Post 28% 69%
Jan. 2003 ABC/Washington Post 30 66
Do you support or oppose government and private programs that give women, blacks, and
other minorities assistance—but not preference—getting into college, getting a job, or
getting a promotion?
Support Oppose
Jan. 2001 ABC/Washington Post 73% 25%
Jan. 2003 ABC/Washington Post 69 26
Now I am going to read you another series of statements on some different topics. For each
statement, please tell me if you completely agree with it, mostly agree with it, mostly disagree
with it, or completely disagree with it…“We should make every possible effort to improve the
position of blacks and other minorities even if it means giving them preferential treatment.”
Completely/ Completely/
Mostly agree Mostly disagree
May 1987 Pew 24% 71%
May 1988 Pew 26 71
Feb. 1989 Pew 28 68
May 1990 Pew 24 72
Nov. 1991 Pew 30 67
Jun. 1992 Pew 34 63
May 1993 Pew 34 63
Jul. 1994 Pew 29 69
Nov. 1997 Pew 31 65
Sep. 1999 Pew 31 65
Aug. 2002 Pew 24 72
Aug. 2003* Pew 30 67
Jan. 2007* Pew 34 62
Apr. 2009* Pew 31 65
Apr. 2012* Pew 33 62
Note: *Asked of a half sample.
10
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Demographic Breakdown, Whites
Completely/ Completely/
Mostly agree Mostly disagree
May 1987 18% 78%
May 1988 20 77
May 1990 17 79
Jun. 1992 29 68
Jul. 1994 25 73
Aug. 2003* 21 77
Apr. 2009* 22 76
Apr. 2012 22 73
Demographic Breakdown, Blacks
Completely/ Completely/
Mostly agree Mostly disagree
May 1987 64% 31%
May 1988 70 27
May 1990 68 31
Jun. 1992 67 28
Jul. 1994 62 38
Aug. 2003* 53 39
Apr. 2009* 58 37
Apr. 2012 62 34
How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements . . . Qualified minorities
should be given special preference in hiring and education.
----------------Responses of 18–29-year-olds---------------
Neither
Strongly Somewhat agree nor Somewhat Strongly
agree agree disagree disagree disagree
Mar.–Apr. 2012 Harvard IOP 5% 10% 39% 18% 28%
Mar.–Apr. 2013 Harvard IOP 5 11 36 19 28
Mar.–Apr. 2014 Harvard IOP 5 10 36 17 31
Mar.–Apr. 2015 Harvard IOP 5 12 37 19 25
Note: Online survey conducted by GfK Knowledge Networks using its national
KnowledgePanel.
11
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Additional Assessments
In 1995 Gallup surveys conducted almost 30 years after affirmative action programs began, the
majority of Americans agreed that the programs had been needed to help overcome
discrimination when they were first adopted, and said they thought the programs had helped
women and minorities. They were more divided on whether the programs were still needed in
1995.
Forty-nine percent in a 2012 Pew survey said they felt affirmative action programs were still
needed, while 43 percent said they felt affirmative action had gone too far in favoring minorities
and should be phased out.
In the few surveys that have asked Americans how affirmative action impacted them
personally, most have said they were not affected. Eighty-two percent of respondents in a 2007
Pew poll said they had neither been hurt nor helped by affirmative action in their personal career
or education. In a 2013 Harvard Institute of Politics survey of 18-29-year-olds, 62 percent said
they had not been affected, 24 percent said they had been affected and it had been to their
disadvantage, and 12 percent said they had been affected and it had been to their advantage.
Overall Impact and Necessity
A number of efforts have been made to help certain groups in this country improve their
opportunities … What about blacks and job opportunities—do you think that we’ve gone too
far, not far enough, or have done about the right amount in making job opportunities for
blacks?
Not far
Too far About right enough
1980 Roper 32% 41% 23%
1985 Roper 22 42 32
A number of efforts have been made to help certain groups in this country improve their
opportunities …what about blacks and opportunities to get higher education in colleges and
universities? Do you think that we’ve gone too far, not far enough, or have done about the
right amount in making opportunities for blacks to attend colleges and universities?
Not far
Too far About right enough
1980 Roper 22% 48% 24%
1985 Roper 15 49 29
In general, do you think we need to increase, keep the same, or decrease affirmative action
programs in this country?
Increase Keep the same Decrease
Mar. 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 31% 26% 37%
Jan. 1997 Gallup 27 28 33
Mar.-May 2001 Gallup 27 34 30
Aug. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 24 34 35
12
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
When affirmative action programs were first adopted almost thirty years ago, do you think
they were needed to help racial minorities overcome discrimination, or were they not needed
thirty years ago?
Were needed Were not
Feb. 1995 Gallup* 86% 12%
Jul. 1995 Gallup 85 11
Note: *Asked of half sample.
Overall, do you think affirmative action programs for the past thirty years have helped racial
minorities, hurt them, or had no effect one way or the other?
Helped Hurt Had no effect
Feb. 1995 Gallup 70% 11% 16%
Note: Asked of half sample.
Overall, do you think affirmative action programs for the past thirty years have helped
women, hurt them, or had no effect one way or the other?
Helped Hurt Had no effect
Feb. 1995 Gallup 76% 12% 9%
Note: Asked of half sample.
Today do you think affirmative action programs are needed to help racial minorities
overcome discrimination, or are they not needed today?
Needed Not needed
Feb. 1995 Gallup 41% 56%
Note: Asked of half sample.
Today do you think affirmative action programs are needed to help women overcome
discrimination, or are they not needed today?
Needed Not needed
Feb. 1995 Gallup 41% 57%
Note: Asked of half sample.
Today do you think affirmative action programs are needed to help women and minorities
overcome discrimination, or are they not needed today?
Needed Not needed
Jul. 1995 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 49% 47%
Aug. 2001 Gallup/CNN/USA Today 56 41
13
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
On the same topic, do you think affirmative action programs are needed today to help
minorities such as blacks and Hispanics overcome discrimination, or are they not needed
today?
Needed Not needed
Feb. 2003 AP 51% 43%
Let me read you two brief statements on affirmative action programs, and ask which one
comes closer to your own point of view? A: Affirmative action programs are still needed to
counteract the effects of discrimination against minorities, and are a good idea as long as
there are no rigid quotas. B: Affirmative action programs have gone too far in favoring
minorities, and should be phased out because they unfairly discriminate against whites. (If
respondent makes a choice) Do you feel strongly about that, or not so strongly?
Feel that affirmative action Feel that programs have
programs are still needed have gone too far
Strongly Not strongly Not strongly Strongly
Mar. 2000 NBC/WSJ 33% 21% 11% 26%
Jan. 2003 NBC/WSJ* 32 17 13 30
Jun. 2009 NBC/WSJ 37 26 8 20
Jan. 2010 NBC/WSJ 31 18 13 30
Note: *Asked of a half sample.
Which of the following statements better describes what you think affirmative action
programs generally do: These programs ensure that well qualified minorities get access to
the schools and jobs that they deserve, or these programs give preferential treatment to
minorities in school admissions and job hirings, even when those minorities are less qualified
than other applicants?
Ensure minorities Give preferential
get access to schools treatment to
and jobs they deserve minorities
Nov. 1997 Gallup* 42% 49%
Jun. 2005 Gallup 42 48
Note: *Asked of a half sample.
Which comes closer to your point of view--affirmative action programs seek out qualified
minorities and do not disadvantage members of other groups or affirmative action programs
result in members of some minority groups being advantaged at the expense of other groups?
No disadvantage At expense of others
May-Jun. 2009 Quinnipiac 44% 46%
Note: Asked of registered voters.
14
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Generally speaking, do you think affirmative action is a good think or a bad thing for the
country, or doesn’t it affect the country much?
Doesn’t affect
Good thing Bad thing country much
Jul. 1995 WashPost/Harvard/Kaiser 44% 26% 20%
Personal Impact
Have you personally ever been helped by affirmative action programs?
Yes No
Mar. 1995 NBC/WSJ 6% 90%
In your own personal career and education, have you ever been helped or hurt by an
affirmative action program, or has this never affected you?
Yes, Yes, Yes, No, not
helped hurt both (vol.) affected
Apr. 2003 Pew 4% 11% 1% 82%
Sep. 2007 Pew 5 10 * 82
Note: *Less than 0.5 percent gave that response.
Do you believe that you have been affected by affirmative action (a policy that qualified
minorities should be given special preferences in hiring and education) in education or the
workplace?
------------Responses of 18–29-year-olds-------------
Yes, and it has Yes, and it has
has been to my has been to my No, not
advantage disadvantage affected
Mar. 2013 Harvard IOP 12% 24% 62%
Note: Online survey conducted by GfK Knowledge Networks using its national
KnowledgePanel.
Income-based Affirmative Action
Would you favor or oppose an affirmative action program that gives preference in jobs and
education to people who come from an economically disadvantaged background, regardless
of their gender or ethnicity? (If favor or oppose) Would you (favor/oppose) that strongly or
(favor/oppose) that somewhat?
Favor Favor Oppose Oppose
strongly somewhat somewhat strongly
Mar. 1995 LAT 29% 29% 20% 14%
Jan. 2003 LAT 28 31 16 15
15
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
(Asked of those who were in favor of this type of program) Would you favor this type of
affirmative action (programs that gives preference in jobs and education to people who come
from an economically disadvantaged background) in addition to or in place of the current
affirmative action laws for minorities and women?
In addition to In place of
current laws current laws
Mar. 1995 LAT 53% 31%
If you had to choose, would you prefer the current approach to affirmative action which
targets women and minorities for benefits, or would you prefer a new approach to
affirmative action which would target poor Americans, regardless of their sex or race?
Prefer current Prefer programs
programs targeting poor
Mar. 1995 Time/CNN 10% 77%
Would you approve or disapprove of affirmative action based on income instead of race—
that is, giving preferences for jobs to people from low income families, regardless of their
race?
Approve Disapprove
Mar. 1995 PSRA/Newsweek 48% 43%
Suppose affirmative action programs to help minorities and women were ended and new
programs were created to help low-income people, regardless of their race or sex. Do you
believe that preference in hiring or promotion should be given to people from low-income
families today, or not?
Yes No
Apr. 1995 CBS/NYT 42% 51%
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Federal affirmative action programs
should be for low-income people rather than for people of a specific race or sex?
Agree Disagree
Jul. 1995 WashPost/Harvard/Kaiser 54% 39%
16
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Affirmative Action in Higher Education
Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin is the most recent of a number of major Supreme Court
cases dealing with affirmative action in college admissions. Polling on the topic began when the
first such case came before the Court—Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. In that
case, the Court ruled against using racial quotas in college admissions, but allowed race to be
considered as one of many admissions criteria. At the time, a majority of Americans said quotas
for minorities should be illegal (Roper, 1977 and 1978), but still supported affirmative action for
women and minorities in higher education provided there were no rigid quotas (Harris, 1978).
In 2003, the year the Supreme Court ruled on Gratx v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger,
67 percent told Gallup pollsters they thought “college applicants should be admitted solely on the
basis of merit, even if that results in few minority students admitted.” At the same time, most
Americans said they thought it was important for a college to have a racially diverse student
body (CBS News, Associated Press), and 60 percent in a Pew survey said they thought that
“affirmative action programs designed to increase the number of black and minority students on
college campuses are a good thing.” Fewer in the Pew survey said they thought such programs
were fair (49 percent). Other surveys from 2003 and from 2013, when Fisher initially came
before the Court, showed that Americans opposed using race as a factor in admissions.
While Americans seem to favor increasing racial diversity on college campuses, they do
not support giving preference to minorities as a means of achieving that diversity.
Quotas
Do you favor or oppose affirmative action programs in higher education provided there are
no rigid quotas . . . ?
Affirmative action programs for blacks
Favor Oppose
Oct.–Nov. 1978 Harris
(White Americans) 68% 15%
(Black Americans) 91 9
Jan. 1982 Harris (National adult) 76% 19%
Affirmative action programs for Spanish-Americans
Favor Oppose
Oct.–Nov. 1978 Harris
(White Americans) 68% 15%
(Black Americans) 83 6
Jan. 1982 Harris (National adult) 72% 23%
Affirmative action programs for women
Favor Oppose
Oct.–Nov. 1978 Harris
(White Americans) 70% 14%
(Black Americans) 90 4
Jan. 1982 Harris (National adult) 78% 18%
17
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
There is a developing controversy over special admissions procedures and quotas for blacks
and other minority students in colleges and graduate school programs. Some say quotas and
programs are necessary to increase the number of minorities in these schools and make up
for past discriminations. Others say this practice discriminates against whites who cannot be
considered for the places in the quota. What is your feeling—that the quotas should be kept
to insure a certain number of minority students or that they should be illegal?
Quotas Quotas
should should Mixed Don’t
be kept be illegal Feelings Know
Jul. 1977 Roper 25% 54% 15% 6%
Jul. 1978 Roper 22 57 16 5
Jul. 1985 Roper* 28 46 17 9
Note: *Question wording was “There is a controversy . . .”
Jul. 1977 Demographic Breakdown
Quotas Quotas
should should Mixed Don’t
be kept be illegal Feelings Know
White 22% 59% -- --
Black 47 15 23 --
Some people say that because of past discrimination, it is sometimes necessary for colleges
and universities to reserve openings for Black students. Others oppose such quotas because
they say quotas give Blacks advantages they haven’t earned. What about your opinion—are
you for or against quotas to admit Black students?
Favor Oppose
1986 NES 38% 63%
1988 NES 36 64
1990 NES 37 63
1992 NES 33 67
Demographic Breakdown, Whites
Favor Oppose
1986 29% 71%
1988 28 72
1990 31 69
1992 26 74
Demographic Breakdown, Blacks
Favor Oppose
1986 80% 20%
1988 83 17
1990 72 38
1992 75 24
18
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
When I mention affirmative action for blacks and Hispanics in college and university
admissions, do you think of it more as setting quotas or fixed numbers of positions for blacks
and Hispanics in college admissions, or increasing outreach efforts to find qualified black
and Hispanic college applicants?
Think of affirmative action in college
and university admissions more as . . .
Setting Increasing Don’t
quotas outreach know
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 38% 44% 18%
19
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Preferences in Admissions
Do you think blacks and other minorities should receive preference in college admissions to
make up for past inequalities, or not?
Yes, should No, should not
Jul. 1988 ABC 18% 76%
Jun. 1991 ABC/WashPost 22 76
Jun. 1997 ABC/WashPost 24 73
Jun. 1997 Demographic Breakdown
Yes, should No, should not
White 17% 81%
Black 49 48
Do you think blacks and other minorities should receive preference in college admissions to
make up for past inequalities, or not?
Yes, should No, should not
May 2013 PRRI 29% 64%
Demographic Breakdown
Yes, should No, should not
White 21% 74%
Black 57 31
Hispanic 45 49
Please tell me whether you think colleges and universities should or should not give
preferences in admissions for each of the following groups. What about…Blacks? Should
there be preferences in admissions for this group, or not?
Yes, should No, should not
Mar. 1995 PSRA/Newsweek 18% 77%
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 26 68
Jan. 2003 Demographic Breakdown
Yes, should No, should not
White 22% 73%
Minority 38 56
20
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Please tell me whether you think colleges and universities should or should not give
preferences in admissions for each of the following groups. What about…Hispanics? Should
there be preferences in admissions for this group, or not?
Yes, should No, should not
Mar. 1995 PSRA/Newsweek 17% 79%
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 25 70
Jan. 2003 Demographic Breakdown
Yes, should No, should not
White 22% 73%
Minority 38 59
Please tell me whether you think colleges and universities should or should not give
preferences in admissions for each of the following groups. What about…Asians? Should
there be preferences in admissions for this group, or not?
Yes, should No, should not
Mar. 1995 PSRA/Newsweek 15% 81%
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 23 71
Jan. 2003 Demographic Breakdown
White 20% 75%
Minority 33 60
Do you approve or disapprove of affirmative action admissions programs at colleges and
law schools that give racial preferences to minority applicants?
Approve Disapprove
Jan. 2003 CNN/Time/Harris 39% 54%
Feb. 2003 CNN/Time/Harris 39 49
Jun. 2013 CNN/ORC 29 68
Jun. 2013 Demographic Breakdown
Approve Disapprove
White 19% 78%
Non-white 51 45
21
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Affirmative Action and Diversity on College Campuses
Which comes closer to your view about evaluating students for admission into a college or
university . . . applicants should be admitted solely on the basis of merit, even if that results
in few minority students admitted (or) an applicant’s racial and ethnic background should be
considered to help promote diversity on college campuses, even if that means admitting some
minority students who otherwise would not be admitted?
Racial/ethic
Should be admitted background should
solely on merit be considered
Jun. 2003 Gallup 69% 27%
Jun. 2007 Gallup 70 23
Jun.–Jul. 2013 Gallup 67 28
Jun.–Jul. 2013 Demographic Breakdown
Solely on merit Background considered
White (Non-Hispanic) 75% 22%
Black 44 48
Hispanic 59 36
All in all, do you think affirmative action programs designed to increase the number of black
and minority students on college campuses are fair or unfair?
Fair Unfair
Apr.–May 2003 Pew 47% 42%
In general, do you think affirmative action programs designed to increase the number of
black and minority students on college campuses are a good thing or a bad thing?
Good thing Bad thing
May 2003 Pew 60% 30%
Feb.–Mar. 2014 Pew 63 30
How important do you think it is for a college to have a racially diverse student body—that
is, a mix of blacks, whites, Asians, Hispanics, and other minorities?
Very Somewhat Not too Not at all
important important important important
Dec. 1997 CBS/NYT 43% 35% 12% 9%
Jan. 2003 CBS/NYT 46 33 11 8
Feb.–Mar. 2003 AP 50 30 10 10
Jan. 2003 Demographic Breakdown (CBS/NYT)
Very/Somewhat important
White 78%
Black 89
22
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose allowing universities to increase the
number of black students studying at their schools by considering race along with other
factors when choosing students?
Neither favor
Favor Oppose nor oppose
2012 ANES (pre-election) 14% 54% 32%
Demographic Breakdown
Neither favor
Favor Oppose nor oppose
White 9% 63% 29%
Black 36 22 41
Hispanic 21 36 43
Other 18 52 30
Do you think public universities should be allowed to use race as one of the factors in
admissions to increase diversity in the student body or not?
Yes, should No, should not
Jun.–Jul. 2013 Quinnipiac 21% 74%
Note: Asked of registered voters.
Demographic Breakdown
Yes, should No, should not
White 17% 79%
Black 36 55
Hispanic 35 62
College graduates 33% 64%
No college degree 15 79
How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements . . . Increased racial
diversity in the student body improves the quality of college education.
----------------Responses of 18–29-year-olds---------------
Neither
Strongly Somewhat agree nor Somewhat Strongly
agree agree disagree disagree disagree
Mar.–Apr. 2014 Harvard IOP 14% 22% 33% 12% 7%
Note: Online survey conducted by GfK Knowledge Networks using its national
KnowledgePanel.
23
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Supreme Court Cases
The Supreme Court is about to rule on the Bakke case, which will decide whether or not a
university can favor the applications of minority students and/or women over other students
in order to meet affirmative action goals. If you were on the Supreme Court and had to rule
on the Bakke case, would you vote in favor of the principle of affirmative action, which would
allow universities to favor the applications of minority and disadvantaged students over
others, or would you vote against it?
Would vote in favor Would vote against
of affirmative action affirmative action
May–Jun. 1978 Time/Yankelovich 25% 75%
Note: Asked of registered voters.
As you may know, the US Supreme Court will be deciding whether public universities can use
race as one of the factors in admissions to increase diversity in the student body. Do you
favor or oppose this practice?
Favor Oppose
Jan. 2003 NBC/WSJ* 26% 65%
Feb.–Mar. 2003 Quinnipiac 28 67%
Note: *Asked of a half sample.
February–March 2003 Demographic Breakdown
Favor Oppose
White 22% 73%
Black 43 50
Hispanic 47 51
Recently the Supreme Court made some widely publicized rulings. Based on what you know
about the decisions, please tell me whether you approve or disapprove of how the court
rules, or if you don’t know enough to say. Do you approve or disapprove of the Supreme
Court’s decision . . . allowing an applicant’s race to be a factor in college admissions
procedures?
Approve Disapprove
Jun.–Jul. 2003 Fox 24% 63%
24
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
As I read some issues the Supreme Court may rule on over the coming years, please tell how
important each issue is to you personally . . . Court decisions on affirmative action.
Very Fairly Not too Not at all
important important important important
Jul. 2005 Pew* 43% 35% 12% 7%
Nov. 2005 Pew 38 37 12 7
Jun. 2009 Pew 40 32 14 7
Note: *Asked of a half sample.
Jun. 2009 Demographic Breakdown
Very Fairly Not too Not at all
important important important important
White 35% 34% 16% 8%
Black 64 19 6 4
Hispanic 42 31 7 2
Thinking about some cases the Supreme Court will decide on next week . . . How interested
are you in the court’s decision on affirmative action in college admissions?
Very Fairly Not too Not at all
interested interested interested interested
Jun. 2013 Pew 31% 31% 17% 19%
Demographic Breakdown
Very
interested
White 25%
Black 56
25
American Enterprise Institute June 2016
Additional Assessments
How do you think affirmative action for blacks and Hispanics in college admissions affect the
overall quality of education? Do you think it improves quality, decreases quality, or doesn’t
have much effect on quality either way?
Improves Decreases Doesn’t have
quality quality much effect
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 22% 14% 53%
As a result of affirmative action for blacks and Hispanics in college admissions, do you think
less qualified applicants are accepted often, sometimes, hardly ever, or never?
Often Sometimes Hardly ever Never
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 26% 44% 14% 5%
Without affirmative action for blacks and Hispanics, do you think blacks’ and Hispanics’
representation among college students would . . . get better, get worse, or stay about the
same?
Would get Would get Would stay
better worse about the same
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 20% 24% 47%
Would you approve or disapprove of affirmative action based on income instead of race, that
is, giving preferences for college admissions to people from low income families, regardless
of their race or ethnic background?
Approve Disapprove
Jan. 2003 PSRA/Newsweek 65% 28%
Do you think you were helped or hurt in the college admissions process because of your race
or ethnicity, or do you think it did not make a difference?
Did not make
Helped Hurt a difference
May 2013 PRRI 6% 7% 80%
May 2013 Demographic Breakdown
Did not make
Helped Hurt a difference
White 3% 6% 83%
Black 16 8 71
Hispanic 11 7 79