At a Snail's Pace: Time to Equality in Simple Models of Affirmative Action Programs

Several simple mathematical models of affirmative action programs are examined. The models, all of one organization, are derived from the program at issue in the Supreme Court's Weber decision. Contrasts include whether such programs do or do not consider the attrition of black representation, the effects of declining or increasing numbers of positions available, the influence of community educational levels, and the rate of program hiring. The focus is on the time necessary for the program to achieve equality between the racial compositions for the local labor force and that of one occupational group in the organization. The general conclusion is that such programs are slow to promote the desired result of racial equality because of structural inertia. Correlatively, the measure of equality is relatively insensitive to any short-term progress achieved by such programs.