Setting priorities in developing an affirmative action program

"Affirmative action" programs call for special activities to ensure that women and minorities participate in employment and educational opportunities in the numbers in which qualified members of these groups are represented in the nation or community. Six kinds of activities should receive priority in establishing a medical school affirmative action program: (a) review of salaries for equity, (b) establishing goals for hiring in both faculty and nonfaculty jobs, (c) review of admissions criteria to assure that women and minorities are not required to meet a higher standard than white males to include accurate predictors of the success of applicants from these groups, (d) survey of physical facilities to assure that lounges and facilities for women are equivalent to quality and convenience to those available to men, (e) examination of employment and instructional policies to identify any which have a "disparate effect" on the success of women and minorities and modification of such policies wherever alternatives are possible, (f) review of staff, student, and administrative attitudes to assure that the institutional atmosphere conveys support of equal opportunity. Success in accomplishing each of these priorities will build a basis for success in other aspects of the equal opportunity program.