In a press release late Thursday afternoon, SMU President R.Gerald Turner stated the university’s intent to continue itscommitment to diversity in admissions by using race as one of manyfactors in the admissions process in a procedure yet to bedetermined.
The statement follows the recent Supreme Court rulings in theUniversity of Michigan affirmative action cases, which allowschools to use race as one factor, under certain guidelines, aspart of comprehensive review of each applicant.
The court’s ruling, which aims to put all schoolsnationally on a level playing field, contradictory to the Hopwooddecision, which prevented the use of race or ethnicity inadmissions decisions at institutions in the 5th U.S. Circuit Courtof Appeals, which includes Texas. In the past few years, SMU hasbeen operating, like many institutions, in compliance with theHopwood decision. As explained in the press release Thursday, theHopwood decision was a setback for Texas, because “it allowedinstitutions outside this region to recruit talented minoritystudents away from our state.”
But this has not prevented SMU from enhancing its outreach tostudents throughout the region, country and worldwide, in an effortto broaden the applicant pool in areas including geographic,academic and racial diversity. According to the release, admissionsachieved racial and ethnic diversity in the first-year class of 16to 20 percent, ranges slightly below pre-Hopwood figures.
SMU, in its written Strategic Plan, that diversity and freedomof expression are important components of the university’seducational experience. Diversity, including but not specific torace or ethnicity, pertains to students’ academic interests,performance abilities, geographic location both inside and outsidethe United States, gender and economic background.
“The president’s statement,” Associate VicePresident for Public Affairs Patti LaSalle said, “is anaffirmation and a clarification of what our admissions policy hasbeen. It also states our commitment to freedom of expression atSMU.”
Though not directly aimed at affirmative action and freedom ofspeech issues raised in recent days at SMU, the timely pressrelease sheds some light on the university’s concern aboutthe issues.
The end of the release noted the forum on Oct. 8 to discuss theissues. The forum will offer a platform for open discussion withrecognition of other’s rights to differing opinions.
To read the entire press release, visit www.smu.edu.
