A sad casualty of DEI/Woke at Cambridge University

[Emily Lake]

Unlike those black parents who don’t care enough not to raise their kids in the projects.

Parents, plural? lol. Few and far between these days.

Okay, see, that's kinda racist. I know it's not necessarily incorrect, but you're playing on a negative stereotype in a derogatory way.

As uncomfortable as it may be to you, "kinda" true though.

It's not discomfort. It's the observation that you chose to make a denigrating comment about an entire group of people based on skin color, in a way that was unnecessary, off topic, and amplifies a negative stereotype.

There is nothing denigrating about it. It is well documented that around 70% of black kids are in a single parent situation.

Sure. But it has no relevance to this thread at all. It's not the topic of discussion. It has no bearing on the topic of discussion in any way at all.
You took a passing comment made by Toni, and took it as an opportunity to amplify a non-related talking point... and so far as I can tell you only did so because it provided you a chance to denigrate black people in general.

It can be both true and racist at the same time.

 

[Emily Lake]

Why do you think that discrimination against black people, including students stopped at any point in the last 60-70 ( or 270) years?

Really?

Do you think the discrimination against black people is the same as it was 270 years ago? Or even 60 years ago?

 

[laughing dog]

Why do you think that discrimination against black people, including students stopped at any point in the last 60-70 ( or 270) years?

Really?

Do you think the discrimination against black people is the same as it was 270 years ago? Or even 60 years ago?

Surely you know the difference between stopped and lessened. So why the straw man?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

No, I don't think that only white people can be racist, but I've known so many mixed race couples in my area and if anyone objected, it was always someone white. In fact, the white mother of my neighbor was the only one who had a fit when her daughter told her she was marrying a black man. His family had no problems with their marriage. Considering how common mixed race relationships are where I live, I didn't expect such a reaction coming from anyone who lived here.

Our experience has been the opposite--she sometimes gets flak from other Chinese, I've never gotten flak in person.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The case of Mr Arday is a very strange one. Without expertise in the field nor the resumes of other applicants, relying on journalists opinions about qualifications is a bit squishy.

As to his claimed marathon running exploits or his nonverbal status until the age of 11, both are irrelevant to the requirements of the position. They are odd, but lots of academics are truly odd.

I admit that if I had been on a hiring committee and a top applicant made such claims, I’d wonder about their attachment to reality and scrutinize their resume more closely. I’d have tried to check the veracity of the fund raising claims, and checked to see if the publications listed had their name attached and were oeer reviewed. It would not have occurred to me to check for plagiarism because I’d assume the publishers of the articles and the granter if the PHD had done so.

Why even check? Any major deception should trashcan any resume.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Honestly, I'd be more likely to hire a doctor who confessed they'd gotten a B or two in high school. Being filthy rich and being a good person (or capable technician) aren't necessarily synonyms; there is something to be said for actually living in the real world for a while. And "perfect" scores are as likely to represent curation as real talent, which is exactly why the major schools started backing away from weighting them heavily in admissions decisions.

No. They believed the nonsense, that the scores were a reflection of paying money for prep courses. Oops, they aren't perfect but everything else is worse.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The article says there were two women who were more highly qualified but he was given the position.

So no matter who got the position, the peanut gallery would consider it a "DEI hire" anyway...

If Cambridge deliberately excluded white men from consideration for hiring, then it's a DEI (or "EDI" as it's called across the pond) hire by definition.

What was/is it called when candidates were specifically excluded if they were not white and make and preferably ‘Christian?’

Past wrongs do not justify present wrongs.

 

[Emily Lake]

Why do you think that discrimination against black people, including students stopped at any point in the last 60-70 ( or 270) years?

Really?

Do you think the discrimination against black people is the same as it was 270 years ago? Or even 60 years ago?

Surely you know the difference between stopped and lessened. So why the straw man?

It will never stop completely. If that's your bar, you're out of luck. Some people dislike those that are different from them, and it's never going to disappear. A whole lot of men really dislike women, far more than the rate at which white people dislike black people. A whole lot of people dislike catholics, or pentactosals, or pick whatever religion you want. A whole lot of people dislike the French.

But Toni conveyed the impression that discrimination against black people is nearly as bad now, in 2026, as it was at the founding of the country. And that's patently absurd. There is very little actual racism in the US. Some, sure. But genuinely, not all that much.

 

[Emily Lake]

No, I don't think that only white people can be racist, but I've known so many mixed race couples in my area and if anyone objected, it was always someone white. In fact, the white mother of my neighbor was the only one who had a fit when her daughter told her she was marrying a black man. His family had no problems with their marriage. Considering how common mixed race relationships are where I live, I didn't expect such a reaction coming from anyone who lived here.

Our experience has been the opposite--she sometimes gets flak from other Chinese, I've never gotten flak in person.

Yeah, my dad got a lot of flak from his family when he decided to marry a white woman. So did his brother who married a Thai woman. And his other brother who married yet another white woman. All those non-black women had to put up with a lot of dirty looks, and my dad and uncles dealth with a lot of bullshit from their other brothers.

But not my auntie - she's solid. So it grandma.

 

[TSwizzle]

Unlike those black parents who don’t care enough not to raise their kids in the projects.

Parents, plural? lol. Few and far between these days.

Okay, see, that's kinda racist. I know it's not necessarily incorrect, but you're playing on a negative stereotype in a derogatory way.

As uncomfortable as it may be to you, "kinda" true though.

It's not discomfort. It's the observation that you chose to make a denigrating comment about an entire group of people based on skin color, in a way that was unnecessary, off topic, and amplifies a negative stereotype.

There is nothing denigrating about it. It is well documented that around 70% of black kids are in a single parent situation.

Sure. But it has no relevance to this thread at all. It's not the topic of discussion.

Then stop talking about it.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Being filthy rich and being a good person (or capable technician) aren't necessarily synonyms;

The AAMC tables I posted include GPA and MCAT scores. Not net worth. Where did you get "filthy rich" from?

Wealth buys prep courses which will improve your scores somewhat. And the left has seized on this as evidence the tests don't show reality.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

What was/is it called when candidates were specifically excluded if they were not white and make and preferably ‘Christian?’

Why does the Left think that discriminating against white "makes"[sic] today makes up for discrimination in the past rather than adding new injustices to old?

Why can’t you answer a question?

He answered it, but then turned around and asked why the current situation shouldn't be considered the same thing.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

For many years, that meant that being white and male was a necessary if not sufficient qualification.

Why do you keep bringing up past discrimination as support???

Graded in relevant university courses and MCAT scores helped narrow the pool of applicants. AFAIK, there is a base line for GPA andMCAT scores that all successful applicants must, along with recommendations, written statements of goals and purpose, and relevant work or volunteer experience.

I am unaware that medical students admit students whose GOAs or MCAT scores or combination fail to meet that threshold.

I am unaware that there are any imperial studies which have established that those medical students admitted with the highest scores and best GPAs end up making the best physicians.

Don't look the official cutoff, it's a case of lowering the standards so you can call people qualified. Look at the real world cutoff--what's the lowest score of each group that actually is admitted. Big differences.

 

[laughing dog]

Why do you think that discrimination against black people, including students stopped at any point in the last 60-70 ( or 270) years?

Really?

Do you think the discrimination against black people is the same as it was 270 years ago? Or even 60 years ago?

Surely you know the difference between stopped and lessened. So why the straw man?

It will never stop completely. If that's your bar, you're out of luck. Some people dislike those that are different from them, and it's never going to disappear. A whole lot of men really dislike women, far more than the rate at which white people dislike black people. A whole lot of people dislike catholics, or pentactosals, or pick whatever religion you want. A whole lot of people dislike the French.

But Toni conveyed the impression that discrimination against black people is nearly as bad now, in 2026, as it was at the founding of the country. And that's patently absurd. There is very little actual racism in the US. Some, sure. But genuinely, not all that much.

Your impressions are clearly your own impressions. I find your impression to be untrue. I don't know what you mean by "little actual racism", since that appears to this reader as a vague and unmeasurable concept.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

FWIW, I agree with Politesse: Students with everything going for them: educated parents , upper middle class neighborhood, enviably good schools tend to get great grades and great test scores. I know that I am biased here but imo, people who grew up in more modest circumstances, as I did and as it appears that you did, can still make it, can still achieve stellar GPAs and SAT and ACT scores and be high achievers academically and in our careers and in our lives. I know it’s ego talking but I think the accomplishments of those who came from modest backgrounds don’t get nearly enough recognition. We’re rock stars! We’re resilient, don’t need our hands held. Or all of the attention in the room.

I don't think anyone disagrees with you on this.

The problem is people using not having things going for them to explain away low scores. That's what some of us are objecting to.

Students who come from better backgrounds have more opportunity to learn. And they generally come from a background that favors learning. Is it any wonder they tend to learn more?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The Independent

"a public execution"?!!
"a lynching"?!!

Good grief, these people are out of their ever loving minds.

They are. It's all about race for them.

Says the original poster of the thread.

Who framed a suicide committed over an academic dishonesty charge as a problem with "DEI", because he looked at a photo of a human being and could only see their skin. Repulsive, these white nationalist stooges.

You're missing the point. We have someone who almost certainly because of his race got into a position he doesn't appear qualified for. That's exactly what we are talking about with "DEI hire"!

 

[Loren Pechtel]

You know one thing... when I needed a surgical procedure, I trusted my PCP in the referral. And I've never asked a doctor or surgeon what their MCATs were.

How does what you wrote justify medical schools blatantly discriminating against white and Asian applicants?

Your claim didn't actually demonstrate that schools are "blatantly discriminating against white and Asian applicants", so not certain why I should debunk a baseless claim. However, I might note that over 20% of graduates of Medical School are Asian. That would be more than 3 times the percent of Asians living in the US. This would imply your accusation hinges on your complete misunderstanding of what the word "discrimination" means.

No. You are taking it as "disparate outcome". The reality is if the medical schools were not discriminating against Asians the percentage would be even higher.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

You need to know the percentage of a particular race applying to med schools and compare that to their acceptance percentage to determine whether there is discrimination compared to other races.

No. This proves nothing in any direction.

What you need to look at is what qualifications are actually being admitted.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

No, not really. The whole 3x on population infers enough that there isn't discrimination. But, I know that people are wanting to die on this molehill.

No, it doesn't. It shows a disparate outcome, it provides no evidence whether that is due to discrimination.

There is this. It is blog-ish so if someone finds sounder stats, please post them.

Group	MCAT	GPA	Acceptance Rate
Asian	514.3	3.85	44.5%
White	512.3	3.82	47.2%
Middle Eastern/North African	511.7	3.84	38.4%
Black/African American	507.2	3.65	35.9%
Hispanic/Latino	506.8	3.71	38.9%
American Indian/Alaska Native	505.2	3.64	40.7%

This would imply that demographics are being accepted at a rate that is generally proportional to their scores.

Let's look at what that actually is saying. These numbers are scores of applicants. Not of admissions. Red herring.

And it still says a lot. 505 is the 70% percentile. 514 is the 92% percentile.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

That chart seems to imply that there is different acceptance criteria depending on your race. My comment was assuming the same acceptance criteria for everyone, regardless of race.

They say no--but real world, there has been. I haven't seen good data on what has happened since the Supreme Court ruled.

Despite the NBA being hugely disproportionally black, it would be possible to discriminate against blacks in the drafting process. The NBA largely selects players based on merit, but if they decided to implement a DEI based drafting process so as to make the teams more closely resemble the racial demographics of the US, they would necessarily exclude more qualified black players (i.e. discriminate against them) in favor of less talented Asians, Hispanics, whites, etc.

Exactly. There is a huge disparity in the applicant pool due to long tails. Tropical conditions favor a long and lanky build--blacks average slightly taller than other races. Everyday effect: meaningless. I don't know why Asians average slightly shorter, but they do.

But the differences that are completely lost in the noise in the middle of the curves become a big deal way out on the tail. And basketball places a huge premium on height. Thus the NBA is mostly black and last I knew there had been only one Chinese person to ever make it.