Posted by
Playful Walrus on Thursday, January 20, 2011 6:52:37 PM
Many years ago, the voters of California, through a Proposition 209, voted to prevent state government from discriminating against people on the basis of race/ethnicity/skin color in most programs. The University of California honchos are trying to get around that, so that they can continue to engage in racism. This is how
the Los Angeles Times article by Larry Gordon starts:
The University of California regents on Wednesday moved to expand the use of an undergraduate admissions practice in which applicants' grades and test scores are considered in the context of their educational opportunities and life experiences.
Translation: Are they black or brown?
UCLA and UC Berkeley already use the admissions process, known as holistic review, in which an applicant's entire file, including essays, are read and scored as a whole, rather than in pieces.
"Holistic", in this case, is like using "comprehensive" when it come to immigration reform. It means "doing what we want, not what our bosses, the voters, want".
This is a process that invites students to see themselves as victims so that they can present a sob story.
As the university's governing board met at UC San Diego, a regents' committee approved the resolution that urges, but does not require, all nine undergraduate UC campuses to use holistic review in admissions decisions.
I'm sure the
requirement will come down if they find there are still "too many" students of Asian ancestry on campus and "not enough" of African or Latino ancestry.
Some regents said they feared broader use of holistic review might introduce too much subjectivity to the process of choosing students and could be seen as an attempt to get around the state's ban on affirmative action.
What? No, that
couldn't be it.
But admissions officials said the method, in use at UC Berkeley since 2001 and UCLA since 2007, is the best and fairest way to pick a freshman class from a competitive applicant pool.
Fairest. Right. You know, because basing
admission to school on how well someone does
at school is unfair.
Under holistic review, admissions readers come up with a single score for an applicant's file, including information about high school courses, SAT or ACT exams, extracurricular activities, special talents and any difficulties the student overcame.
"Difficulties" like, say, being an illegal alien. I can't believe my money is subsidizing this nonsense. The article went to discuss budget concerns.
"Malby 1" at 10:26 PM January 19, 2011:
Here are some courses that UCLA can save money by dropping:
Chicano Studies 129. Field Research Methods in Labor and Workplace Studies. (5)
Discussion of roles of union and nonunion worker organizations in society and in improvement of quality of life for Latina/Latino communities.
130. Worker Center Movement: Next Wave Organizing for Justice for Immigrant Workers. (4)
Development of theoretical and practical understanding of worker center movement, with focus on historical factors that have led to emergence and growth of worker centers. Role of worker centers in promoting multiethnic and multiracial campaigns for workplace and economic justice. Transnational cross-border solidarity issues and rights of undocumented workers.
131. Barrio Popular Culture. (4)
Construction of model by which to organize study of Chicana/Chicano popular culture by focusing on barrio as metaphor for community. Examination of beliefs, myths, and values of Chicana/Chicano culture and representations in icons, heroes, legends, stereotypes, and popular art forms through literature, film, video, music, mass media, and oral history. Letter grading.
132. Border Consciousness. (4)
Investigation through history, popular culture, and mass media of bilingual and bicultural identities produced by geographical and cultural space between Mexico and U.S. Special attention to border consciousness as site of conflict and resistance.
"rexhmailtmp" at 5:53 AM January 20, 2011:
I wonder if the professors will be required to use a "holistic" approach to grading papers.
Good question, because admitting people who should be going to Cal State or community college or a trade school, who will later drop out, hurts them and everybody else.