Admissions in the UW System
Testimony to Wisconsin Legislative Council Special Committee on Affirmative Action, Jan. 11, 2007
Statement on freshman admissions
By Larry Rubin, UW System Assistant Vice President for Academic and Student Services
Good afternoon. My name is Larry Rubin and I am the Assistant Vice President for Academic and Student Services with the UW System Administration. I serve as the primary liaison on systemwide issues of admissions and transfer. I am here today to talk about our systemwide policy on Freshman Admissions that the Board of Regents most recently discussed at its December 2006 meeting.
The current UW System admissions policy actually dates back to 1972. Since then, there have been a number of new policies adopted by the Board on related admissions issues which supplement the initial policy document. As a result, we now have five separate policies that relate to freshman admissions – and that is something we are seeking to remedy by combining these documents into one coherent, contemporary policy. This would eliminate outdated or duplicative information and reporting procedures, and clarify the language on core requirements and selection criteria.
Our proposed policy provides for a comprehensive, individualized review of applicants. To provide the highest quality educational opportunity for all students in a diverse learning environment, this policy would allow each institution to admit students whose academic preparation, background and personal experience suggest that they will succeed at the institution, that they will benefit from the educational experience, and that they will contribute to the educational environment.
The policy stipulates a set of minimum requirements that all applicants must meet or exceed for consideration. It also provides criteria to be used in making selections from among the qualified applicants. Among the criteria, academic factors are the most important consideration in the admissions decision. However, it’s important to understand that no single numerical score can serve as a reliable predictor of academic performance or potential. Grade-point-average and standardized test scores are important factors, but they are not the only factors considered in the admission decision. Our admissions officers must, for example, have the latitude to consider the type of courses the student took in high school. For example, a student with a 3.7 GPA who chose to take less challenging courses, may not be considered as favorably as a student who took honors or advanced placement courses and earned a 3.5 GPA.
Admissions officers also look to see if the student's grades improved through high school or declined, and if the student continued to take challenging courses in their senior year or if they tended to slack off.
In a comprehensive review, non-academic factors are also considered. Examining whether a student worked during high school, volunteered in the community, excelled in a certain extra-curricular area, or had any special or unusual experiences, can be very helpful in judging an applicants potential for success, how they can benefit from the educational experience, and what they can contribute to the educational environment.
Our policy calls for looking at the applicant as an individual and not just a set of numbers or scores. It enables admissions officers to take into consideration multiple factors including such things as whether the applicant was a service veteran, an older student with strong work experience who has been out of school for awhile, or a student from a school where advanced placement or other more challenging classes were not offered. Another factor that is considered in our comprehensive review process is the applicant's race. Our policy is a “race-conscious” policy. It is not a race-based or race-preference policy. A person's race will never be the sole criteria in the selection process.
In the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in the Michigan cases, the court re-affirmed the educational benefits of a diverse student body, and the use of race-conscious admissions policies as a means to enhance universities’ educational mission. Our current policies – on the books for decades – value diversity and include race as one factor among many that can be considered in admissions decisions. Continuing with that longstanding commitment to diversity, we must ensure that any new policy conforms to the stipulations of the Supreme Court.
I mentioned that our current and proposed policies are “race-conscious.” Perhaps a more fitting label is “diversity-conscious.” In keeping with our longstanding practice and the most recent legal rulings, this approach preserves access to higher education, and contributes to our goal of attracting, enrolling and graduating a diverse population of students who will succeed in college, benefit from the experience, and make positive contributions to our public university and the state of Wisconsin.