In the Douthat interview referenced in my last post, the Trump bureaucrat also argued that admissions and hiring practices should be based on merit, and that universities should be required to provide diversity in viewpoints, not race. Are these ideas workable, and are they logically consistent?
As to admissions and “merit,” this could presumably be accomplished by relying solely on test scores. That assumes, of course, that “merit” can be determined by test scores, and that unusual abilities in particular fields don’t count. In the real world, that wouldn’t make sense. “Merit” is a far more subjective concept than that.
There is no obvious objective way to determine “merit” in hiring. As to the creation of diverse viewpoints, how is that to be done? Would prospective students and faculty members be required to check a box identifying themselves as MAGA supporters? Would essays be reviewed for MAGA content? What if the applicant was oversimplifying his views, or even lying? If someone with a high test score wasn’t a MAGA man, would his place be taken by a lower scorer with MAGA bona fides? Wouldn’t that be a form of affirmative action for reactionaries?
Ron DeSantis dealt with this problem with New College by starting a baseball team, the assumption being that the team members would be conservative straight white guys who wouldn’t otherwise qualify for admission. That approach won’t work for large elite universities. Trump is heading for a right-wing version of affirmative action, possibly using preferences for rural residents as a proxy for reactionary politics.