Abstract
Purpose. To determine the impact of the affirmative action requirement under Assembly Bill 1725 and the resulting changes, if any, in minority representation in management positions in the California Community Colleges. The problem being investigated is the frequent assumption that affirmative action has done its job and that it is no longer needed; inferring that legislation has taken care of equity issues beginning with the Declaration of Independence in 1776 through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its revisions in 1991. Theoretical framework. Centered on equity theory, inferring that individual rewards should be distributed according to the level of individual contribution. Affirmative action and equal employment opportunity laws attempt to improve the lot of the underrepresented group by ensuring that individual rights are protected. Methodology. A time series analysis was used to measure the impact of the requirements for affirmative action under Assembly Bill 1725. Secondary data on work force demographics was analyzed for seven years prior and subsequent to the enactment of AB 1725. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine if there was a significant difference in the actual number of minority administrators and the expected number of minority administrators based on a thirty percent goal. Questionnaires were completed by senior level managers to determine their perceptions of the impact of affirmative action on workforce demographics in the California Community Colleges. Findings. There was no significant difference between the change of female administrators during the pre and post years, however there was a significant difference for minority administrators for this period. Progress was made toward the goal of a thirty percent underrepresented workforce with regard to administrators in the California Community Colleges in this fourteen year reporting period. Conclusions and recommendations. Diversity management will continue to remain an issue with regard to the changing demographics throughout the State of California. The majority of the administrators surveyed agree that affirmative action has played a large part in the increases in staff diversity in top-level administrative positions within the California Community Colleges.