Asian-American education group seeks delay in UC admissions reform

Asian-American education group seeks delay in UC admissions reform
By Matt Krupnick
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Posted: 03/27/2009 03:39:44 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO — The University of California’s recent eligibility reforms are breeding distrust for the institution among Asian-Americans, several scholars and community leaders said Friday.

UC should rescind or delay the changes until Asian-American and Pacific Islander groups comment on them, several speakers said at an Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education conference in San Francisco’s Japantown. The UC Board of Regents adopted the changes last month; they are set to take effect in 2012.

Several groups have expressed concern that the new freshman standards will limit the number of Asian-American students attending the 10-campus system.

“How can we not be concerned?” said Patrick Hayashi, a retired UC Berkeley and systemwide leader. “The projections show our community will be decimated. We have to keep in mind that these numbers represent real people.”

The new criteria will eliminate a requirement for SAT single-subject tests, which university leaders have said are a barrier for underprivileged applicants. The reforms also guarantee admissions for fewer students but will allow more to have applications reviewed by admissions officers.

Lawmakers and others have said the university did not seek enough public input before last month’s decision, and many have criticized UC for not adequately explaining how they might affect Asian Americans. Legislators plan to hold a hearing on the issue Tuesday in Sacramento.

UC has estimated that the changes will lead to a smaller percentage of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in the pool of eligible applicants. White students stand to benefit most.

The university believes the new system is fairer to disadvantaged students, said Nina Robinson, UC’s director of policy and external affairs for student affairs. The unhappiness of the Asian-American community is unfortunate, she said.

“It’s not a surprise that a community that has been so deeply engaged and supportive of UC would be concerned,” Robinson told the Bay Area News Group after the conference discussion. “The president would not have supported the policy had he not felt it was fair and created opportunity.”

Several panelists criticized the university for changing the fundamental structure of UC admissions without first speaking to the Legislature or other groups. The 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education outlined goals for California’s public college and university system, making the top one-eighth of high-school graduates eligible for UC.

“This is a departure from the Master Plan,” said Steve Boilard, higher-education director for the state Legislative Analyst’s Office. He said that the university’s constitutional independence should not allow it to make changes without a public mandate.

The independence “doesn’t mean you can do anything and say it’s the top one-eighth,” he said.