The California State Assembly passed a measure May 20 that addresses the decrease in the recruitment of minority students at University of California graduate and professional schools.
The measure, called ACR 178, requests that the University of California prevent standardized test scores from being the primary, criterion for graduate school student admissions.
ACR 178 also requires the UC Regents to adopt a comprehensive review in their admissions process, much like the comprehensive review policy for the admission of fall 2002 undergraduates.
“”We aim to promote systemwide changes to create more equitable UC graduate admissions policies,”” said Assembly member Manolo Diaz, one of the founders of the measure. “”[We are doing this] to ensure that students of color have greater access to the system.””
Kevin Mikolaitis, a Warren sophomore, feels that the measure has positive indications.
“”There are many students who haven’t had the same chances as me,”” Mikolaitis said. “”I feel that this is a fair way of helping underprivileged students have a better chance of getting into the schools that they want.””
Despite the increasing level of diversity present in California’s overall population, the number of minority students applying and enrolling in UC graduate programs and professional schools has decreased dramatically.
From the fall of 1994 to the fall of 2001, the number of Latinos admitted to UC Davis, UC Berkeley and UCLA law schools declined by 33 percent. In fall 2001, only 57 Latino students were enrolled in the three law schools.
Within the same time period, the number of black students admitted to those schools declined by 55 percent. Only 28 black students enrolled last fall.
Some people, including Mikolaitis, feel that standardized tests are significant obstacles for minority students.
“”If a kid doesn’t do well quite so well on standardized tests, but shows promise in other areas, I believe that that kid should at least be given an extra look at from schools,”” Mikolaitis said.
Comprehensive review, often considered a “”holistic”” approach to admissions, takes a broad spectrum of criterion into consideration, such as academic background and personal qualifications, instead of mainly standardized test scores.
Critics of comprehensive review worry that any de-emphasis on grades and test scores threatens a decline in academic quality. They feel that the process is a roundabout method of initiating affirmative action back into the University of California’s admissions procedure.
Assembly member Jay LeSuer, from the San Diego district, voted against the measure. Barry Jantz, his district chief of staff, is also against the measure.
“”We feel the Regents of the UC system have said themselves that all the criteria underlined in the resolution is already being met,”” Jantz said. “”We also feel that it is best for the university to determine [its admissions criterion] instead of state legislation.””
However, Lt. Governor and UC Regent Cruz Bustamante claims that ACR 178 is not infringing on the University’s ban on affirmative action.
“”This plan completely complies with the guidelines of Proposition 209, and no one gets an unfair preference,”” Bustamante said. “”What we’re attempting to do is look at the complete student, including life experiences, commitment to public service and academic performance.””
The measure is expected to be implemented in the UC admissions process by the end of the 2002-2003 academic year. According to Jantz, the measure is just a resolution, however, and will only request the changes to be made, not require them.
Diaz feels that the measure is extremely necessary in the face of California’s increasing diversity.
“”With the increasing diversity of the general population in California, the low rates of students of color in the UC graduate and professional schools are completely unacceptable,”” Diaz said.
Bustamante claims that the measure will have extensive bearing on California as a whole.
“”UC graduate and professional schools belong to all California taxpayers,”” Bustamante said. “”It is vital to the future economic growth of the state of California that equal opportunities are available to all.””
