Debate over affirmative action practices have remained strong in the 40 years since the 1964 Civil Rights Act, still revolving around whether it is fair to use racial preference policies to combat discrimination in the workplace.

This election is no different.

Pursuing equal opportunity in the workplace will be a goal for both candidates in Tuesday's presidential election, according to their campaign platforms. While President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry may agree on the end result, the means to achieve it is a point of contention.

Bush says he supports affirmative action, but disagrees with quotas and preferences. Kerry says affirmative action policies are still needed to combat employment discrimination.

Title VII of the act protects all individuals from unfair employment practices that discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, sex, or religion, said Major Coleman, professor of African and African-American studies, political science and labor studies.

"If you treat people differently on the basis of race or have employment practices that unfairly impact one group, we are going to call that what it is: discrimination," he said.

In his first term in office, Bush emphasized creating a good climate for small business as a way to help minorities succeed in the workplace.

"Minority ownership of businesses are up because we created an environment for the entrepreneurial spirit to be strong," Bush said in the third presidential debate on Oct. 13.

Bush also said in a 2000 interview with Time Magazine he would not enact any policies "based on guilt." According to his campaign Web site, www.georgewbush.com, Bush will pursue the goals of equal opportunity without imposing a quota system.

Andy Banducci, College Republicans chairman, said Bush's policies were consistent with what he sees as a general Republican distrust in a quota system and an emphasis on individualism.

"The Republican Party is not anti-affirmative action in terms of having life experiences, but there is an undue amount of influence placed on race and gender instead of merit," he said.

Coleman said the controversy surrounding affirmative action and quotas is often misguided. "Affirmative action is not and never has been a quota, nor is it a group preference," he said. "Those are incendiary words used to amass opposition."

Kerry has voted in favor of affirmative action policies. In 1995, he voted against banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds; in 1997 he voted against ending special funding for minority- and women-owned businesses; and in 1998 he voted to set aside 10 percent of highway funds for minorities and women.

Megan Green, College Democrats president, said she believes Kerry would be a stronger advocate for minority rights.

"We're still at a point where women do not make as much money as men and where employment discrimination is still prevalent," she said. "Kerry still sees affirmative action as necessary until all races and genders are treated equally."

Coleman said that while Kerry has a history of supporting affirmative action, his support has not been as strong as Al Gore, the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee.

"I think Kerry has been a lukewarm supporter of affirmative action," he said. "I think he has toyed with the idea of opposing it in the Senate in the past."

Coleman also said he disagreed with Bush's policies.

"The idea that individualism and individual rights are based on merit is a classic GOP approach," he said.

In the end, he said both candidate's policies were far from ideal.

"Neither party comes out smelling like a rose," he said.