Purpose:
Authorization for each component institution to
develop and propose plans regarding consideration of an applicant's race and
ethnicity as part of the component’s admissions or financial assistance
policies
Date Approved:
August
7, 2003
Background:
Following review of the standards enunciated in the
United States Supreme Court decisions in Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger,
the U. T. Board of Regents approved the following motion:
Authorization and GUIDELINES
Pursuant to discussion in Executive Session on August 6,
2003, and on behalf of The University of Texas System, Regent Estrada moved
that:
a. Each component institution be and is authorized to develop and
propose plans regarding whether to consider an applicant's race and ethnicity,
as part of the component’s admissions or financial assistance policies, in
accordance with the standards enunciated in the recent Supreme Court cases of Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger. Initial responsibility for developing and
proposing such admissions and financial assistance policies may be further
delegated within each component to colleges, departments, or other programs.
b. No component or program shall propose to
consider race or ethnicity unless it finds, after serious and good-faith
consideration, that race-neutral alternatives are inadequate. This consideration may include the degree of
diversity attainable with race-neutral methods and the impact on other academic
objectives of exclusive reliance on those race-neutral methods.
c. Any
component or program that proposes to consider race or ethnicity shall propose
a written plan. Any such plan must
provide for individualized and holistic review of applicant files, in which
race and ethnicity are among a broader array of qualifications and characteristics
considered. Any such plan must also
provide for periodic review of whether, and to what extent, the plan is still
needed or needs revisions.
d. Any proposal for admissions or financial assistance policies
that considers race and ethnicity among an array of qualifications and
characteristics, and any subsequent revisions to such policies, must be
reviewed and approved by the Office of General Counsel, and by the Executive
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or the Executive Vice Chancellor for
Health Affairs, as appropriate, prior to implementation.
e. The policy expressed herein shall be reviewed by the Board of
Regents in a period not to exceed five years from the date of adoption hereof.
Last
reviewed June 2004