UC Regents Apologize for Bias Incidents

In response to recent racist and homophobic incidents on multiple University of California campuses, school administrators have proposed changes in admissions policies to boost enrollment of minorities, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Meeting in San Francisco, the University of California board of regents spent two hours Wednesday discussing the situations on several campuses, including the use of a racial epithet on a student television show at UC San Diego, swastikas that were spray-painted and carved into several locations across the UC Davis. campus and an an antigay slogan spray-painted on the UC Davis gay and lesbian center.

University of California leaders apologized to black UCSD students for recent racial incidents.

"It is the absence of inclusion that frees hatred, that frees bigotry, that allows it to go unchallenged. That's our biggest problem," regent Eddie Island said.

UC system president Mark Yudof acknowledged the recent "Compton Cookout" incident highlighted the issue of low enrollment of African-American students on the campus.

Yudof said he wanted all UC campuses to adopt an admissions process he deemed a "holistic" review, in which applicants' test scores and high school grades are considered in the context of their life experiences and personal accomplishments.

"I want a system that is less mechanical and takes a serious look at a range of talents and skills and history, and takes into account poverty," Yudof said.

Holistic review is permitted at UCSD; however, Yudof said he wants the system to be required at all nine UC undergraduate campuses. UCLA and UC Berkeley use the approach frequently, while UC San Diego and other campuses use a more rigid formula that focuses less on the personal accomplishments of a student.

This change would require approval by the systemwide faculty senate, something that will be discussed in a few months, officials said.