History shows that significant social progress often triggers backlash, as illustrated by events following the Civil Rights Movement. Research by Quinn Mulroy of Northwestern University and Heather McCambly of the University of Pittsburgh examines archival documents to reveal that efforts against federal educational funding and diversity initiatives trace back to the 1960s. This study highlights how changes in educational equity have faced opposition that equates diversity efforts with a "quality crisis."
Mulroy explains, "We analyzed how these two concepts, equity and quality, became discursively linked and contested in the administration of postsecondary education policy over time, a process we refer to as (e)quality politics." Their research indicates that the perceived threat to quality stemming from equity efforts forms an enduring anti-equity policy paradigm.
History outlines college accessibility reforms through the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, followed by the establishment of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to fund equity-focused projects. Mulroy noted, "There was a resulting equity policy shock in the 1960s," yet opponents argued these reforms threatened university quality.
In the late 1960s to 1970s, FIPSE supported numerous reforms amid ongoing debates. By the 1980s, equity and quality became dichotomous in policy discussions. Mulroy stated, "By the time we get to the 1980s, we see this coalescing around the idea that equity is somehow intrinsically separate from quality, or even a threat to quality."
The Reagan administration further aligned with this perspective, with reforms moving away from equity. Mulroy recounts, "Reagan’s secretary of education, William Bennett, would repeatedly call for a 'reversal of course,' one that eliminated the equity reforms of the 1970s."
Figures like Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Chester Finn played roles in shaping quality-focused policies under Reagan's leadership. A 1968 report titled “Quality and Equality: New Levels of Federal Responsibility for Higher Education” argued that equity reforms were crucial for maintaining educational standards, yet as McCambly observed, rhetoric implied that increased access led to a "quality crisis."
"The current landscape sees a persistent stigma around quality-threat in equity programs," McCambly mentioned, noting that modern language mirrors Reagan-era discussion. The notion of focusing on "excellence and merit" often appears detached from race yet suggests a retreat from diversity goals.
The studies "The Rise of (E)Quality Politics on College Campuses: Then and Now" and "Constructing an Educational ‘Quality’ Crisis: (E)quality Politics and Racialization Beyond Target Beneficiaries" have been published, offering in-depth analysis on this issue.
To interview Professor Mulroy, interested parties can contact Shanice Harris via email.