from Preserving Diversity in Higher Education: A Manual on Admissions Policies and Procedures After the University of Michigan Decisions, Bingham McCutchen LLP, Morrison & Foerster LLP, and Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP (2004) (hereinafter the “Diversity Manual”)

What to Do

1.  Formalize an admissions policy statement

• tied to institution's general mission statement
• developed and approved by senior policy-making body
• explicitly state the role of diversity in admissions process

2.  Evaluate race-neutral alternatives: Percentage Plans

• effects may be attributable to other factors, such as recruitment and scholarship programs focused on minority candidates
• minority students may be admitted into the public school system, but continue to be underrepresented at the flagship universities within the system
• overly mechanical
• not workable in graduate and professional schools, as well as other contexts

3.  Develop a diversity-focused admissions plan

·         Flexibility:

o        Evaluate test scores and grades in context, not in an overly formulaic way.

·          Mathematical formulas should never be used. 

o        Applications should be reviewed in an individualized way.

·         Take many factors, including race, into consideration.

·         Plus Factors: 

o        Tangible: race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic, residency

o        Intangible: leadership skills, musical abilities

o        No particular factor can dominate the decision

o        Use discretion in evaluating plus factors

What to Avoid

×     Avoid rigidity.

   o        Discretion can be used 

·         Applicants who possess the same diversity factor do not have to be given the same weight

×         Avoid mechanical formulas. 

o        Do not use programs that automatically assign a given number of points based on race.

[ Back ] [ Next ]