In a University of Texas-Austin case in which four white applicants to the law school were rejected, a federal judge has upheld the college's right to consider race and ethnicity as admissions factors, but also outlined strict limits on use of affirmative action in assessing applicants, which could pose legal problems for some colleges. (MSE)

The affirmative action efforts of the College of Engineering at the University of California Davis campus demonstrate affirmative action at its best. Eight programs are described that represent positive and constructive affirmative action that gives women and minorities the opportunity to advance through hard work. (SLD)

A federal court decision in which the University of Texas was supported in preferential admissions treatment of minority law school applicants is criticized as perpetuating racial discrimination by a state institution. The suit was brought by four white applicants who would likely have been admitted if they were of a preferred racial group but…

Many colleges, Harvard among them, offer preferential admission to the children of alumni. The legacy preferential system perpetuates elitism and the status quo and places blacks and other minorities, whose parents were less likely to have gone to college, at a real disadvantage. (SLD)

Examines international trends in selection for higher education, as well as school-leaving examinations and university access in South Africa. Discusses tensions between educational quality and equity related to access. Describes equitable admissions criteria instituted at the University of the Western Cape, and some dilemmas encountered by…

This article raises issues of intellectual intimidation and suppression on college campuses in the name of fairness to minorities. Considered are speech codes and intellectual freedom; accreditation and diversity; curriculum reform; and admissions, hiring, and promotion procedures. (DB)

College programs winning the 1992 American Association of University Administrators awards for outstanding academic administration during times of fiscal constraint are described briefly. Awards were given for total quality management (Oregon State University), enrollment management (Indiana University), and financial management (Chaffey Community…

Evaluation of the University of South Florida Medical School's new (1990) preventive health requirements for matriculants showed that expensive requirements had the lowest rate of compliance and inexpensive ones, the highest rates. Enforcement measures significantly improved compliance. Cost was seen as a major deterrent to compliance. (Author/DB)

This case study details some effective techniques the University of Hartford (Connecticut) uses for using data analyses to monitor marketing, recruiting, yield, financial aid packaging, first-year and transfer retention, and other key areas. The importance of teamwork and a unique collaborative approach to enrollment management is emphasized.…

This article describes higher education student selection and admission policies and practices in newly industrialized countries in the Asian region, with particular attention to access, selection, the admissions process, equity, and relationship with the labor market. Policies in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, People's Republic of China, Singapore,…

Drawing on fieldwork, interviews, and literature reviews, trends in college admissions are examined, including increased competition, higher admissions standards, and growth in admissions management services. Focus is then placed on the role of private admissions counselors in providing knowledge, attention, management of college choice, and…

Successful college enrollment management requires information about the institution's image, effectiveness of recruiting activities, role of financial aid, student persistence, and alumni success. Enrollment managers must review the literature, develop a performance monitoring system, construct longitudinal cohort tracking files, identify student…

A study investigated the relationship between undergraduate admissions selectivity at 40 research universities and academic rigor of course examination questions, as determined by the level of understanding required. Results suggest that more selective institutions do not provide more academically rigorous instruction than less selective ones.…

Analyzes undergraduate admission data from the United Kingdom by sex, subject, and qualification level. Finds that admission into male dominated programs is made easier by a greater number of openings for students than female-dominated programs have. Concludes that female students are disadvantaged by the distribution of openings. (DK)

The incremental contribution of an interview to the student admission process was studied for 331 applicants accepted as undergraduates at a private university. Interviews provide information about applicants and correlate to grade point average (GPA). Interviewer judgments do not contribute incremental variance to prediction of admissions…