“More students were admitted because mom or dad went to A&M, than the total number of
African Americans admitted,” said NAACP President Gary Bledsoe. “The Texas A&M legacy program is
inherently discriminatory towards minorities, and based on nothing even resembling merit.” [Ellis
press release Jan. 7, 2004]
“The legacy program at A&M counters the worthy goal of closing the gaps in Texas
institutions,” said [Texas Rep. Michael] Villarreal, a 1992 A&M graduate.
He was
referring to the state’s “Closing the Gaps” initiative to bring about greater parity in college
attendance and graduation rates….
Instead of concentrating on an affirmative action
admissions policy, Gates has embarked on efforts to award more scholarships to needy, first-generation
college students and to intensify outreach efforts in urban areas. Last summer, the school opened a
center in HemisFair Plaza to facilitate applications for admissions, housing and financial
aid.
But Villarreal said he would give the university an “F” thus far in addressing
minority enrollment.
“They may be great efforts, but they are going to be judged on how
their minority numbers improve,” he said. “What really matters is who attends and who eventually
walks across the stage.” [Matt Flores, mysanantonio.com 1/8/2004]. Villarreal, D-San Antonio, noted
the inconsistency of A&M passing up an opportunity to increase minority enrollment because that would
“amount to special treatment of a specific set of the student population, then in the next breath
continuing a program that does exactly that for a segment of the student population already
disproportionately represented.” [Todd Ackerman & Clay Robison chron.com
1/8/2004]
“As an alumnus of Texas A&M, I am truly disappointed that the University has chosen to
create an admissions policy that is contradictory to their stated goal of seeking to improve minority
admissions,” said Representative Dawnna Dukes. “Establishing scholarships for first generation
disadvantaged minority students, while giving preference to second and third generation advantaged
students is contradictory to an even-handed policy. An aggressive attempt to recruit historically
disadvantaged applicants is not achieved by giving historically advantaged applicants a leg up. Such an
admission policy cannot possibly increase minority student enrollment.” [Sen. Rodney Ellis Press
Release 1/7/2004]
Posted on Thu, Jan. 08, 2004
DALLAS & STATE DIGEST
Wire
Reports
AUSTIN
Lawmakers press A&M to change legacy policy
A
group of angry state lawmakers implored Texas A&M University on Wednesday to change an admissions
policy that gives preference to applicants whose parents or grandparents graduated from the
school.
Representatives of state civil rights groups indicated that they would sue the school if
the policy doesn’t change.
The school, which recently decided it would not consider
race as a factor, last year admitted through its legacy program more than 300 students who would not
have qualified otherwise.
“More students were admitted because Mom or Dad went to A&M
than the total number of African-Americans admitted,” Gary Bledsoe, president of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said at a news conference.
Bledsoe
called the admissions program “inherently discriminatory” because blacks did not attend Texas A&M
until 1963, negating the “legacy” of many minority applicants.
“It clearly undermines
the ability of minorities to be able to get the fruits of their labor,” Bledsoe
said.
Despite the school’s refusal to consider race in admissions, A&M President Robert
Gates has promised lawmakers that he would lead a charge to increase minority
enrollment.
“As I indicated several weeks ago when I met with concerned legislators,
the admissions process has been under review and will continue to be evaluated to ensure that it
achieves one of the university’s primary objectives — that of having a student body that is more
representative of the state of Texas,” Gates said in a statement released
Wednesday.
A&M is the state’s only public school with a legacy program to boost alumni
support.
MoPress 