Elijah Anderson, distinguished author and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will speak on “The Social Consequences of Affirmative Action” Monday.

Affirmative action provides equal opportunities in education and employment for minorities, whether based on ethnicity or gender. The issue has become even more controversial since the Supreme Court ruling in June stating it was unconstitutional for the University of Michigan to take this into account of admissions.

Anderson will be touching on issues such as the Michigan case and what the pros and cons of affirmative action are in society.

Ashley Wilson, director for the Coalition for the Improvement of Africans (CIA), said people should learn more about how affirmative action works before they criticize it.

“Since people have so many views on affirmative action … I think that hearing someone else’s opinion that has spent a lot of time researching it will help them see the pros and cons of affirmative action,” she said.

Wilson, sophomore in communication studies, also said this has had a direct impact.

“A lot of students complain that minority students are only here because of a scholarship that was offered through these policies,” she said.

While some students complain, Ashley Holloway, treasurer for the Black Student Alliance and senior in community and regional planning, said he feels this has only added to his college experience.

“I see more diversity than I thought there would be coming to Iowa,” he said. “I think [affirmative action] is working in a positive way here.”

Anderson will speak at 7 p.m. in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.