Race Excellence

This book realistically identifies specific core areas of racial strife and at the same time ties the real issues of race relations into the nature of government. It is different from many others that may be similar, in that there is no hidden agenda: everything is out in the open. In addition, the book has feeling, passion, humor, substance, and clarity. Not only that, it has a message that is sure to help many, many individuals, both American and others, gain greater insight into what it takes to gain and maintain liberty and justice for all our citizens.

This book realistically identifies specific core areas of racial strife and at the same time ties the real issues of race relations into the nature of government. It is different from many others that may be similar, in that there is no hidden agenda: everything is out in the open. In addition, the book has feeling, passion, humor, substance, and clarity. Not only that, it has a message that is sure to help many, many individuals, both American and others, gain greater insight into what it takes to gain and maintain liberty and justice for all our citizens.

Griffith (psychiatry and African and African American studies, Yale U.) engages in dialogue with pioneering black psychiatrist Pierce. They meld his life and career, focusing on his theories about the predictable nature of racist behavior and the responses of oppressed groups, and how his own experience with racism has affected his work. In addition to his work on racism, Pierce is known for his substantive scholarship on coping with extreme environments such as the South Pole. No index. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

From its modest beginnings behind a Philadelphia-area watchmakers shop some 40 years ago, the Penske Racing Team, more than any other organization, has influenced the development, growth and direction of auto racing in the United States as both a sport and a business. Led by former race driver turned "Fortune 500" business mogul Roger Penske, this team has won more than 250 major auto races around the world, captured 19 national championships (including 12 Indy-Car titles), and have enjoyed success in all forms of racing--Indy-Cars, sports cars, Formula-1, endurance racing and NASCAR. Penske Racing Team...40 Years of Excellence documents the fascinating history of this unique organization, focusing on the talented drivers and innovative engineering that have been responsible for the teams spectacular and enduring success. This book also highlights the key events that have defined American motorsports during this timeframe; including the rise and fall of U.S. sports car racing in the 1960s and 1970s; the politics of the USAC-CART split in the late 1970s; the CART-IRL battle that unfolded 20 years later; and the phenomenal transformation of NASCAR from its moonshine roots into the mainstream commercial phenomenon that it is today.

Addressing various levels of the corporate ladder, from customer service to the CEO, this handbook explores "The Excellence Myth," revealing a philosophy of excellence to help individuals and organisations reach their performance potential.

Thomas Jefferson once stated that the foremost goal of American education must be to nurture the "natural aristocracy of talent and virtue." Although in many ways American higher education has fulfilled Jefferson's vision by achieving a widespread level of excellence, it has not achieved the objective of equity implicit in Jefferson's statement. In Equity and Excellence in American Higher Education, William G. Bowen, Martin A. Kurzweil, and Eugene M. Tobin explore the cause for this divide. Employing historical research, examination of the most recent social science and public policy scholarship, international comparisons, and detailed empirical analysis of rich new data, the authors study the intersection between "excellence" and "equity" objectives. Beginning with a time line tracing efforts to achieve equity and excellence in higher education from the American Revolution to the early Cold War years, this narrative reveals the halting, episodic progress in broadening access across the dividing lines of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The authors argue that despite our rhetoric of inclusiveness, a significant number of youth from poor families do not share equal access to America's elite colleges and universities. While America has achieved the highest level of educational attainment of any country, it runs the risk of losing this position unless it can markedly improve the precollegiate preparation of students from racial minorities and lower-income families. After identifying the "equity" problem at the national level and studying nineteen selective colleges and universities, the authors propose a set of potential actions to be taken at federal, state, local, and institutional levels. With recommendations ranging from reform of the admissions process, to restructuring of federal financial aid and state support of public universities, to addressing the various precollegiate obstacles that disadvantaged students face at home and in school, the authors urge all selective colleges and universities to continue race-sensitive admissions policies, while urging the most selective (and privileged) institutions to enroll more well-qualified students from families with low socioeconomic status.

Graduate of Harvard Medical School, president of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, founding national chair of the Black Psychiatrists of America: the list of Chester Pierce's accomplishments alone cement him as a luminary in the field--and that is before one considers how foundational his theories about racism as an environmental pollutant are to modern mental health. Reprinted with a new introduction, this collection of interactive conversations between Ezra Griffith and Pierce sheds light on the man behind the impressive titles and oft-cited theories. Focusing on different stages of Pierce's life and career, it traces his path of achievement in the face of obstacles both individual and institutional. What emerges is more than just a revealing portrait of one particularly determined and talented man. It is a chronicle that illustrates distinct methods of coping with the stress of racial discrimination and new ways to approach narrative stories about Black lives that will prove illuminating to anyone interested in gaining a greater understanding of how to evaluate the salience of race matters in people's lives.

An incisive study showing how cultural ideas of merit in academic science produce unfair and unequal outcomes. In Misconceiving Merit, sociologists Mary Blair-Loy and Erin A. Cech uncover the cultural foundations of a paradox. On one hand, academic science, engineering, and math revere meritocracy, a system that recognizes and rewards those with the greatest talent and dedication. At the same time, women and some racial and sexual minorities remain underrepresented and often feel unwelcome and devalued in STEM. How can academic science, which so highly values meritocracy and objectivity, produce these unequal outcomes? Blair-Loy and Cech studied more than five hundred STEM professors at a top research university to reveal how unequal and unfair outcomes can emerge alongside commitments to objectivity and excellence. The authors find that academic STEM harbors dominant cultural beliefs that not only perpetuate the mistreatment of scientists from underrepresented groups but hinder innovation. Underrepresented groups are often seen as less fully embodying merit compared to equally productive white and Asian heterosexual men, and the negative consequences of this misjudgment persist regardless of professors’ actual academic productivity. Misconceiving Merit is filled with insights for higher education administrators working toward greater equity as well as for scientists and engineers striving to change entrenched patterns of inequality in STEM.

Driving Excellence tells the inspiring story of one man who, with no formal business training, turned an entire industry on its head. Mark Aesch proves that we really can run government like a business, and provide value to taxpayers and shareholders alike. When Aesch took over the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority in 2004, it was operating with a 27.7-million-dollar deficit, and was poised to raise fares, lay off employees, and slash service. Under Aesch's leadership, those deficits have been eradicated and replaced with multimillion-dollar surpluses; reliance on taxpayer subsidies has been reduced; demand for service has increased at rates three times the national average; and in an unprecedented move, the fare at the Authority's two largest subsidiaries were actually reduced. In Driving Excellence, Aesch shows readers how to create a culture built around selflessness rather than ego, and get employees invested in saving the company. In describing the transition from an ailing business to one that enjoys stunning success--lower fares, multi-million surpluses, and the highest ridership and customer satisfaction levels in twenty years--Aesch offers powerful principles that any organization can implement to achieve exceptional results.