What's the link between race, admissions, and achievement in today's higher education? Is it easier for some groups to get into college, (thanks to affirmative action) and harder for others? The lawsuits against affirmative action involving Harvard, UNC, and other schools all claim that affirmative action is unfair, unjust and, this is clear from the rhetoric used by some, un-American.

Does this notion have any grounding in reality? Professor Poon studies higher education and analyzes policies in light of hard data, not myths and misperceptions. I spoke with her about to gain clarity on "holistic" reviews for admissions, on the achievements of various groups and on her own trajectory, from a student in several institutions with a B.A from Boston College, a Masters of Education degree from the University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. from UCLA, where she served as President of the University of California's Student Association.