Econ 421: Economics of Reed College
Fall 2007
Assignment #4: Diversity at Reed
Due: Wednesday, October 3

In the spring of 2005, Reed College and its faculty were debating priorities for the fund-raising campaign that is currently in its "silent phase" and will soon be officially launched. Among the issues that were addressed were proposals to increase the ethnic diversity of the faculty, staff, and student body. Not surprisingly, these issues proved controversial and provoked considerable debate among the faculty.

The attached reports, both a majority report and a dissenting minority report, were prepared by members of an ad-hoc committee on diversity that was convened to study the problem and propose policies.

Based on these reports and on your knowledge both of Reed and of the literature we have read on diversity, write a an essay of approximately one single-spaced page responding to the following questions and issues. (Write an essay, not discrete answers.)

1. What is an appropriate definition of diversity for Reed? In particular, should diversity be defined with respect to ethnic origins, socioeconomic background, location of upbringing, or other criteria? How should international students and other individuals from outside the United States fit into campus diversity?

2. What are the benefits to Reed of having a more diverse faculty, staff, and student body in whatever dimensions you identified as appropriate above? Who obtains these benefits? Are they evenly spread over the community or do some gain more than others (or do some even lose)? In what ways does greater diversity advance Reed's core mission? Are there any ways in which greater diversity conflicts with our mission?

3. What are the costs of increasing diversity, both monetary and otherwise? Who bears these costs?

4. How much importance would you place on diversity goals relative to other college goals in the fund-raising campaign?