Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012, February 10, 2004, Page 12, Image 12

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    Nation & World News
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2004 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE
m.
of a New
An esteemed historian and diplomat, Ambassador Lee spent most
of the past decade as a senior representative of South Korea
abroad and as president of the Seoul-based Korea Foundation.
The author of such books as Democracy in Korea—the Next Step
and Rich Society and Poor Schools, Ambassador Lee will discuss
political and social trends in South Korea and likely directions for
that nation in the coming years.
The Honorable
IN-HO LEE
Former South Korean
Ambassador to the
Russian Federation
and the Republic
of Finland
r
Eugene
Wednesday, February 11
6:00 p.m.
282 Lillis Hall
University of Oregon
Portland
Thursday, February 12
6:30 p.m.
World Trade Center
25 S.W. Salmon Street/
Two World Trade Center
Seating is limited; please arrive early
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
Sponsored by the
Office of the President.
Call for more information,
(541)346-3036
An equal-opportunity,
affirmative-action institution
committed to cultural
diversity and compliance
with the Americans with
Disabilities Act. This
publication will be made
available in accesible
formats upon request
Accommodations for people
with disabilities will be
provided if requested
in advance
We've got sp
at www.dailyemerald.com
Minorities apply
to U. Michigan
less after ruling
Applications are on the
decline at universities
affected by a landmark
affirmative action decision
By Jodi S. Cohen
Chicago Tribune (KRT)
Minority student applications to
the University of Michigan — the
subject of the U.S. Supreme Court's
affirmative action decision last year
— are down 23 percent compared to
the same time last year.
Preliminary figures for next fall's
freshman class also show that the
number of black, Hispanic and
American Indian students admitted
so far is down 30 percent. Overall
applications are down by about 18
percent while many colleges else
where are reporting increases.
"We are concerned about it,"
Michigan admissions director Ted
Spencer said.
Spencer stressed that the data are pre
liminary because about one-third of the
applications have not been reviewed.
He predicted the percentage of minori
ty students in the freshman class will
"change slightly upwards."
As of now, about 6.5 percent of ad
mitted students are minorities, com
pared to 9 percent at this point last year.
The admissions deadline was Feb. 1,
and minority students tend to apply
closer to the deadline, he said.
In a landmark decision in June, the
Supreme Court ruled that colleges
could consider an applicant's race to
get a diverse student body, but struck
down Michigan's numerical system
that automatically gave minority ap
plicants extra points.
Hie court ruled that colleges could
consider an applicant's race to build a
diverse student body so long as it was
considered among other factors. The
justices found that the point policy was
too similar to a quota system, and was
inconsistent with the idea that appli
cants should be judged individually.
In response, Michigan designed a
less rigid process that still takes race into
account and is similar to its law school
admissions policy, which the court
found was legal.
The new application requires appli
cants to answer two short questions
and one longer essay, and at least two
people read each application. One es
say was required in the old application.
Michigan officials dted several pos
sible reasons for the decline, including
that the application was made available
a month later than usual and that the
essays may discourage students. They
theorized that students may be con
cerned about a proposed state ballot
initiative to prohibit universities and
state and local governments from "dis
criminating against or granting prefer
ential treatment" based on race, sex,
color, ethnicity or national origin.
"With these continuous attacks on
Michigan, that might be one of the
reasons that is deterring students from
applying," said Michigan senior
Monique Perry, a black woman who
is vice president of the student
government. She said if the trend
continues and the percentage of mi
nority students declines next fall, "we ob
viously have a problem."
Black, Hispanic and American Indi
an students constituted 13.2 percent of
Michigan's 2003 freshman class.
Most schools did not make changes
to their applications in response to the
court decision because they did not use
point systems when evaluating applica
tions. Two exceptions were Ohio State
University and the University of Mass
achusetts at Amherst, which scrapped
numerical systems.
Applications to Ohio State, which
now requires four short essay questions
for the first time, also have declined.
Overall applications are down 12.5 per
cent and minority applications are
down nearly 9 percent compared to
this time last year, said Mabel Freeman,
assistant vice president for undergradu
ate admissions. About 30 percent few
er minority students have been admit
ted, she said.
Ohio State is considering reduc
ing the number of essays next year,
Freeman said.
"As soon as you put essays on the ap
plication, you are cutting the popula
tion" who will apply, she said. She said
that the university's decision to scrap a
point system similar to Michigan's may
have sent the wrong message to minor
ity students. "Some in the minority
community are waiting to see if we are
really still committed to enrolling mi
nority students and having a diverse
campus," she said.
Northwestern University has seen a
10 percent jump in total applications,
and an even greater increase in minor
ity applications this year. Black appli
cants are up 28 percent and Hispanic
applicants up 22 percent, said direc
tor of admissions Keith Todd. Since
decisions aren't finalized until April 1,
he could not provide information on
students accepted.
Admissions experts said they expect
to see a continued increase in college
applications nationwide as the num
ber of high school graduates rises and
more attend college.
David Hawkins of the National Asso
ciation for College Admission Counsel
ing said, however, that universities with
more complex applications — such as
Michigan and Ohio State — will see a
dropoff. It is becoming increasing pop
ular for colleges to ask applicants to an
swer unique questions instead of writ
ing a general statement about why they
wish to attend a particular school.
Jim Conroy, chair of the post-high
school counseling department at New
Trier Township High School in Win
netka, 111., said essay requirements dis
courage students who are wavering
about a school. Last year, 174 New
Trier seniors applied to Michigan and
37 decided to attend. He said fewer
students applied this year.
"The essays are a roadblock," Conroy
said, "but a roadblock overcome by the
kids who really want to go there"
(c) 2004, Chicago Tribune. Distributed
by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information
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