Explain Should Managers Consider Race in the Hiring Equation?

The issue of diversity is a major topic for government suppliers that have to supply census data about their workforce relative to the race of candidates that they hire for opportunities. While it is not quite as visible for private employers and those that do not perform government contractual services, it is still a hot topic.

1. As an HR professional, you observe that one of your business units has a racial makeup that is 95% Hispanic when the community at large and the candidate pool is 30% Hispanic, 50% Caucasian, 15% Black, 4% Asian, and 1% Other. When you ask the managers in the business unit why, the response you get is that historically Hispanics are the best workers in that department and thus are the preferred candidates for hire. Should you:
a. do nothing?
b. counsel the managers on your concerns, but do nothing?
c. counsel the managers and document your file according, but do nothing more?
d. tell the managers you will provide them with only non-Hispanic candidates until the department looks more representative of the community at large.
e. tell the managers you will provide them with more diverse candidate slates, and while you will not mandate who they hire, you will strongly suggest that they begin to hire candidates of differing ethnicities for upcoming job openings.
Explain why you made this choice.

2. As a general matter, do you think companies should consider race in the hiring equation or should they just hire the best candidate available as the manager sees fit?