UT president Warns of Consequences to Automatic-Admission Law. This article, by Ralph Haurwitz of the Austin American-Statesman, is discussing the proposal that UT president William Powers Jr. hopes to take to Senate about changing the current top 10 percent law in Texas. This law allows any student who graduates ranked in the top ten percent of their class in high school to automatically be admitted to any state school in Texas. The top 10 percent law was initially enacted by the Legislature in 1997 in an effort to boost minority enrollment after a federal court ruling effectively halted the use of affirmative action in admissions. Unfortunately, enrollment of Hispanics and African Americans has not risen significantly since 1997.
The problem arising now is that because of the high percentage of students wanting to come to UT (81% last year with an expected rise to 86% by fall) UT is having to turn down out of state students and other applicants the school would like to admit taking into account leadership, musical and artistic talent, race, ethnicity and other factors. I feel this is important information for all current UT students and especially those wanting to attend UT in the future. Powers says that the school might have to go so far as to eliminating the football program since most football players do not rank in the top ten percent.
Powers proposal is to tweak the top ten percent law for UT allowing the top one percent, then the top two percent, and so on until half of the incoming freshman spots are filled. This leaves room for other applicants to be fitted into the process. If it comes to a vote, I for one will be participating on the side of president Powers. UT without football is unfathomable to me!
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