A controversial policy that allows race to be considered in the admissions process was approved Friday by the University of Wisconsin school system.
The new approach includes analyzing academics, standardized test scores and other factors, such as whether a student is of a historically underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
"Part of the college experience is to be around people that aren't like you," said David Giroux, executive director of communications and external relations at the University of Wisconsin system. "If you're around people who are just like you, your education will suffer."
Mike Mikalsen, spokesman for Wisconsin Rep. Steve Nass, said Nass, a Republican, believes that using uncontrollable factors to determine the fate of a student is unfair.
"The new policy is being adopted to specifically admit students to increase diversity," he said.
Giroux said extracurricular activities, grade point average and work experience also are areas of consideration under the new policy. "It comes in a big pot of other factors that our admissions officers are free to consider."
Race and ethnicity are not new to the UW system's admissions policy, Giroux said.
"A few key facts have been lost in the public discussion of this policy, including the fact that race and ethnicity have been factors in UW admissions policies for at least 35 years," he said.
John Lucas, director of communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the other institutions in the system will be the ones affected by the change, as Madison has employed this policy for 25 years.
UW-Madison's use of race and ethnicity in admissions reflects a trend of encouraging diversity in higher education.
UNC's admissions policy looks at all aspects of an applicant's life, said Stephen Farmer, assistant provost and director of undergraduate admissions.
"Our considerations of race are flexible, not rule-bound," he said. "It takes into consideration everything we know about a candidate, not just one thing that we know."
The admissions office at UNC follows the guidelines set forth by the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court case Grutter v. Bollinger, in which the court ruled that race can be one of many factors considered in admissions decisions.
Giroux said the updated policy adheres to the precedent set by the Michigan case.
Mikelsan noted that the Michigan case does not apply because the ruling allowed Michigan the option to include race and ethnicity in admissions, but Wisconsin state law already bans that practice.
"We are in the process of asking our state attorney general to review the policy and make a determination whether the UW system is violating the state statute," Mikelsan said.
Although Nass opposes the new policy, he still thinks diversity is important, Mikelsan said. Nass proposes improving the minority applicant pool instead of bringing in unqualified students on the basis of race.
Giroux said the new policy raises the bar for applicants.
"I defy anybody to come to the University of Wisconsin campus and find an unqualified student of any color," he said.
"You won't find one."
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
