Daily Trojan
USC

“Affirmative action counterproductive”

As the Supreme Court seems once again poised to take up the topic of race-based affirmative action in college admissions decisions, America is reminded of the damage universities have inflicted in the name of multiculturalism.

Universities defend race-based affirmative action admission policies in the name of advancing diversity and promoting social harmony. But this branch of affirmative action has little social benefit.

In 2003, the Supreme Court decision in Gratz v. Bollinger prohibited universities from giving applicants automatic advantages based on race or ethnicity. A subsequent Supreme Court ruling affirmed that colleges could consider both factors as part of a case-by-case assessment of individuals.

As a result, hundreds of prestigious universities across the nation have been able to award acceptances on the basis of race. An April 1 article in The New York Times found that even when laws restrict this practice, many universities find ways to get around them.

If administrators do not want to judge minorities by the color of their skin, they have to refrain from using race as justification in university admissions. They can no longer see race as an implied setback in society; it is certainly not indicative of a disadvantaged upbringing.

The Supreme Court should affirm the irrationality of race-based affirmative action policies and pressure American universities to eradicate this absurd practice.

— Ryan Townsend, April 9 issue

Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

“The not-so-Easter Bunny”

As Easter passes, so does the holiday excitement characteristic of so many chocolate-themed religious events. With this fading excitement comes the consequences of impulsive actions carried out in the holiday spirit. And while the Easter Bunny may have retreated back to his springtime home, other bunnies may not have such an option.

Every year, Easter brings about a surge in rabbit sales from pet stores and sites like Craigslist. Parents want a cute gift for their child, so they buy little Timmy a baby rabbit to place alongside his candy and jelly beans in the Easter basket.

But rabbits are a 10-plus-year commitment and are often difficult for children to properly take care of. They’re higher maintenance than dogs and cats, and more difficult to find a home for when the inevitable time comes that the child becomes bored with the rabbit.

Unfortunately, chicks, ducks and rabbits, unlike dogs and cats, have a specific time of year where impulse adoption skyrockets. Afterward, shelters that cater to rabbits find themselves full and domesticated rabbits are often let out into the wild by naive owners who don’t realize that such an action is essentially a death sentence for their furry friend.

In retrospect, the national symbol for Easter perhaps should have been a less intelligent, lower-maintenance animal — but a rabbit it is.

On this Easter and next, be mindful of the impact Pagan holidays have on rabbits. A chocolate rabbit is a much better impulse buy than a live one.

— Sam Bouchat, April 9 issue

Daily Californian
UC Berkeley

“The importance of student press”

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. This rings in my head as students head to the polls to vote on the V.O.I.C.E. Initiative, a $2 per semester student service fee that goes towards filling the hole in The Daily Californian’s budget caused by decreasing advertising revenues as more media switch to digital formats.

The question before us is whether we want the Daily Cal in print on most days of the week or if we want it mostly online with perhaps diminished quality. I’ll get the quality part in a moment.

I will be voting “yes” on the V.O.I.C.E. Initiative on April 10 for the following reasons: First, I believe a free student press and an accessible daily paper is vital to informed dialogue by the campus community.

It is very valuable to have the Daily Cal paper easily accessible on campus. While The Daily Californian is not The New York Times in its quality of articles — it is a student newspaper, after all — it is an important public resource on our campus that keeps students aware of ASUC, university, city, state and national news stories affecting our campus.

While many papers are moving onto the digital platform, aided by Internet and tablet technology, we are still seeing the quality of the free press under increasing strain.

Ultimately, The Daily Californian will move out of print. The initiative is just a life vest to keep print alive for five more years (at least) and allow the Daily Cal to move out of print in a better way.

— Elliot Goldstein, April 4 issue