Diversity on Campus

In response to "Making a Visual Argument"

The most appealing visual argument featured in the collection is probably the creation by Melanie Frost. It was a poster depicting several hands of different colors all coming together to form a tree. Clearly the image is protraying a message of unity amongst students on campus. It speaks the loudest in comparison to the other poster designs because it's extremely creative and represents a message of strength in diversity. It looks as if it took a great deal of time and effort to create and it gets its message across very clearly. When most people think of trees they think of sturdiness and power. With the hands grasping one another to create such a model, Frost is clearly emphasizing how important strength in diversity really is. The picture also speaks that diversity is natural, and should be natural on a college campus, with the illustration of leaves and trees.

The least appealing visual argumment is the creation by Hannah Leimback called "Identities Are Infinite." This design is less appealing than all the others because it strikes me as something that has been done before. I feel like the aim is appropriate being that Leimback is clearly trying to get across that a college campus is full of different types of people, however, the design looks much like something that would be found in a teen magazine. Something more creative could have been done with the idea.

In response to "Cartoonists Take On Affirmation Action"

In the "It's GOT to Be the Shoes" cartoon, the central message is that some people are admitted into college on the basis of the institution's racial preferences. If certain applicants meet the particular preferences they can easily enroll, to the disgust of other applicants, unfortunately.

In the "Supreme Irony" cartoon, it is illustrated that even the Supreme Court is not even racially diverse and yet they are speaking and discussing the issue of racial diversity in schools. It seems a little ironic that such a predominantly white group of officials, with only one person that is not white, would even take into their hands the issue of diversity.

In the "Daniel Lives on Detroit's Eastside..." cartoon, the main character is depicted as a young man from the slums of a dangerous city, yet he still manages to overcome the odds and get into college. This young man is a person of color and with the decision by the Supreme Court on increase diversity in schools, he is able to rise above his circumstances and achieve higher education.

In the "Admissions" cartoon, it is illustrated that those who are admitted into school are admitted because of some circumstance or status that would make the intitution look good. From being the child of an alum to being an athlete to being a minority all are let in except one young man with no such status. He blames the Supreme Court ruling for increasing diversity for his rejection because if the school were not trying to reach a certain standard by admitting certain students he would have gotten in.

In the "Pricey" cartoon, it's a clear illustration that college is expensive. If one does not have the means to pay for all of this education, it is likely that he/she will be left behind.

The most effective cartoon is definitely the "Daniel Lives on Detroits Eastside..." because it shows that students from different backgrounds, with possibly not the most affording means, have the opportunity to get into college and make something more of themselves.

The least effective cartoon is the "Pricey" cartoon because it can be somewhat vague in answering to the Sumpreme Court Affirmative Action decision. The cartoon focuses largely on how expensive college is, but does not zero in much on the actual issue of diversity on campus. The other cartoons make a little more sense with regards to responding to the issue.