UT System Board of Regents approve admissions policy for academic institutions

AUSTIN – Presidents and admissions officers at The University of Texas System’s academic institutions will now have a clear set of system-wide guidelines and processes to follow when making undergraduate admissions decisions.

The UT System Board of Regents approved an admissions policy designed to ensure fairness, transparency and integrity in the admissions process. It goes into effect immediately.

“It is important to me that we have a policy that is fair to aspiring students, transparent to the public, and that supports excellence at our institutions,” Chancellor William H. McRaven said. “We also have designed a policy that gives our presidents the flexibility and authority to do their jobs and to advance their universities.”

UT System’s Office of Academic Affairs began an in-depth analysis of the various admissions practices at each undergraduate institution in 2013. Since then, three key reports have been produced:

• 2014 report on admissions by UT System’s Office of Academic Affairs and Office of General Counsel
• 2015 report by Kroll Associates on admissions practices
• 2015 report by Blue Ribbon Panel on Admissions

Recommendations from all of these reports factored into the new admissions policy. The policy was written in collaboration with all of UT System’s academic presidents.

Key elements of the admissions policy include:

• Establishes best practices for admissions system-wide.
• Specifies how letters of recommendation are to be handled.
• Requires that no unqualified applicant be admitted.
• Requires that there be no quid pro quo in admissions decisions.
• Requires that any admissions decision beyond the normal process be very rare and for highest institutional importance.
• Requires a president to report any very rare admission decision beyond the normal process to the Chancellor and describe the rationale and all relational considerations.
• Requires the Chancellor to ensure that all very rare admission decisions beyond the normal process are reasonable in terms of process, number and justification.
• Requires the Chancellor to report any significant deviation from this policy to the Board of Regents

For more information, see the Admissions Policy FAQ.

Board of Regents Chairman Paul Foster thanked McRaven and Deputy Chancellor David Daniel for their leadership in creating the new policy.

“It was the right time to develop a system-wide policy so there is no doubt or second-guessing when it comes to navigating these important decisions,” Foster said. “The board is committed to a fair and honest admissions process that is in the best interest of our institutions, our students and our applicants, and we are accountable to the people of Texas for it.”

About The University of Texas System

Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking basic, applied and clinical research and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. With nine academic universities, six health institutions and an enrollment of more than 217,000, the UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates almost two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas. The UT System has an annual operating budget of $15.6 billion (FY 2015) including $3 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. With about 20,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates – and more than 70,000 health care professionals, researchers, student advisors and support staff, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.