Coaches Support Race Consideration In College Admission

SportingNews

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2012-08-16/tom-izzo-ben-howland-other-coaches-support-race-based-college-admission-policies

Some big name college basketball coaches are throwing their support behind the University of Texas’ use of race as a standard in its admissions policies.

Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, UCLA’s Ben Howland and Stanford’s Johnny Dawkins are among 43 current or former coaches and administrators who signed on to a brief filed by the National Association of Basketball Coaches urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold UT’s policies, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“When universities are deprived of the ability to build a racially diverse class, minority student-athletes are often a substantial number of the minorities on campus, which undermines the universities’ ability to build true diversity, the coaches and athletics administrators argued. Our experience coaching student-athletes demonstrates that achieving true diversity is crucial for both student-athletes and the broader college community.”

The brief, which was signed by more than 12, 000 representatives at the NCAA, NAIA, and community-college levels, was one of more than 50 filed in support of the university.

The Supreme Court’s ruling on UT’s admission program will be its first ruling on affirmative action in higher education since 2003. Arguments will be Oct. 10.

Abigail Fisher, a white student who was not admitted to the school in 2008, filed a lawsuit challenged the policy as violation of her civil and constitutional rights.

Texas admits most of its students because they rank among the top 10 percent in their high school classes. Fisher’s grades did not put her in that category. For other students, Texas officials say that race is considered among many factors, including academic record, personal essays, leadership potential, extracurricular activities, and honors and awards. The school says race is not used to set quotas, which the high court has previously rejected.

Coaches Support Consideration Of Race In College Admission

SportingNews

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2012-08-16/tom-izzo-ben-howland-other-coaches-support-race-based-college-admission-policies

Some big name college basketball coaches are throwing their support behind the University of Texas’ use of race as a standard in its admissions policies.

Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, UCLA’s Ben Howland and Stanford’s Johnny Dawkins are among 43 current or former coaches and administrators who signed on to a brief filed by the National Association of Basketball Coaches urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold UT’s policies, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“When universities are deprived of the ability to build a racially diverse class, minority student-athletes are often a substantial number of the minorities on campus, which undermines the universities’ ability to build true diversity, the coaches and athletics administrators argued. Our experience coaching student-athletes demonstrates that achieving true diversity is crucial for both student-athletes and the broader college community.”

The brief, which was signed by more than 12, 000 representatives at the NCAA, NAIA, and community-college levels, was one of more than 50 filed in support of the university.

The Supreme Court’s ruling on UT’s admission program will be its first ruling on affirmative action in higher education since 2003. Arguments will be Oct. 10.

Abigail Fisher, a white student who was not admitted to the school in 2008, filed a lawsuit challenged the policy as violation of her civil and constitutional rights.

Texas admits most of its students because they rank among the top 10 percent in their high school classes. Fisher’s grades did not put her in that category. For other students, Texas officials say that race is considered among many factors, including academic record, personal essays, leadership potential, extracurricular activities, and honors and awards. The school says race is not used to set quotas, which the high court has previously rejected.