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Holistic admissions policy passes
State legislator says fight against board's decision will continue through budget process
Nathaniel Shuda
Issue date: 2/12/07 Section: Campus News
While the Board of Regents unanimously approved its new freshman admissions policy Friday, some state legislators have vowed to keep the issue alive.
Under the new policy, academics still remain the biggest factor in the admissions process, which now allows other factors, such as race, extra curricular activities and personal experiences, to enter into the equation.
Regent President David Walsh said the process can be complex, and with the new policy, it will allow for more diverse student populations around the state.
"Diversity isn't just race," Walsh said. "It's geography. It's handicapped. It's the veterans. It's the football player. They all bring something to this campus. It's about having a better educational experience for our students."
While proponents of the new policy say it now conforms to a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision, those who disagree with the new policy say it violates state laws.
State Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, chairman of the Assembly's Colleges and Universities committee and outspoken critic of what he calls a "race-based" policy, told System officials the effects of their decision may become apparent during the state budget process.
"This is only the beginning of the fight with the UW System, a combative route chosen by the Board of Regents and senior administrators," Nass said Friday in a press release. "The regents want your money, but they don't care what you think about their policies."
Kris Anderson, director of admissions at Eau Claire, said that while new policy change updated the written policy, many UW schools have already been using this "holistic" admissions process for quite a while.
"It's just a matter of bringing the language up to speed," Anderson said, explaining the old policy only took class rank and ACT score into account. "Students sometimes self-select out (of the admissions process), saying 'I don't have the numbers.'"
And if it came down to two students with the same qualifications but different races, Anderson said it's not that the minority student would get admitted and the other wouldn't. Both students would be admitted, she said.
Under the new policy, academics still remain the biggest factor in the admissions process, which now allows other factors, such as race, extra curricular activities and personal experiences, to enter into the equation.
Regent President David Walsh said the process can be complex, and with the new policy, it will allow for more diverse student populations around the state.
"Diversity isn't just race," Walsh said. "It's geography. It's handicapped. It's the veterans. It's the football player. They all bring something to this campus. It's about having a better educational experience for our students."
While proponents of the new policy say it now conforms to a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision, those who disagree with the new policy say it violates state laws.
State Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, chairman of the Assembly's Colleges and Universities committee and outspoken critic of what he calls a "race-based" policy, told System officials the effects of their decision may become apparent during the state budget process.
"This is only the beginning of the fight with the UW System, a combative route chosen by the Board of Regents and senior administrators," Nass said Friday in a press release. "The regents want your money, but they don't care what you think about their policies."
Kris Anderson, director of admissions at Eau Claire, said that while new policy change updated the written policy, many UW schools have already been using this "holistic" admissions process for quite a while.
"It's just a matter of bringing the language up to speed," Anderson said, explaining the old policy only took class rank and ACT score into account. "Students sometimes self-select out (of the admissions process), saying 'I don't have the numbers.'"
And if it came down to two students with the same qualifications but different races, Anderson said it's not that the minority student would get admitted and the other wouldn't. Both students would be admitted, she said.
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