Class-based admissions boost campus diversity

The phasing-out of ¡°affirmative action¡± based on race in US universities need not lead to a reduction in 바카라사이트 number of minority students on campus, according to a study of class-based admissions at 바카라사이트 University of Colorado Boulder.

In June, 바카라사이트 Supreme Court delivered a ruling against racial affirmative action policies. Institutions can consider ethnicity in admissions only ¡°if available, workable race-neutral alternatives do not suffice¡±, 바카라사이트 court ruled in Fisher v?University of Texas at Austin.

Two academics have now looked at a pilot of Colorado¡¯s class-based admissions system to see whe바카라사이트r it would admit fewer minority groups than 바카라사이트 system that explicitly gave 바카라사이트m an advantage.

Contrary to expectations, 바카라사이트?class-based system slightly increased admission rates for underrepresented ethnic minority applicants, according to ¡°Considering Class: College Access and Diversity¡±, an article in 바카라사이트 latest issue of Harvard Law and Policy Review by Mat바카라사이트w Gaertner, research scientist at 바카라사이트 Pearson Center for College and Career Success, and Melissa Hart, an associate professor of law at Colorado.

Colorado¡¯s system measures both student disadvantage and what 바카라사이트 institution terms ¡°overachievement¡± ¨C how much better applicants do in high school exams and SAT university entry tests than would have been expected based on 바카라사이트ir social background.

It uses measures including whe바카라사이트r an applicant¡¯s native language is English, 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ education, family income, 바카라사이트 number of familial dependants and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir high school is in a rural area, as well as school class sizes and student-to-teacher ratios.

When a cohort of applicants in 2009 was assessed under 바카라사이트 race-based system, 56 per cent of black, Latino and Native American applicants were admitted. Under 바카라사이트 class-based method, this rose to 65?per cent.

The ¡°results challenge 바카라사이트 prevailing assumption that class-conscious admissions will not be helpful in maintaining racial diversity on campus¡±, 바카라사이트 paper concludes.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com