The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition 2007 5
Final count suggests impact of Prop 2
University releases
undergraduate
admission numbers
for 2007
By ARIKIA MILLIKAN and
JESSICA VOSGERCHIAN
Daily StaffReporter
June. 4, 2007 - The University
has closed shop on admissions for
next year, and the final numbers
provide insight into the impact on
minority enrollment of the affir-
mative action ban enacted by the
passage of Proposal 2.
The numbers show that the
January enactment of the legisla-
tion drastically affected the accep-
tance rate of under-represented
minorities.
Although there were 175 more
minority applicants this year than
in 2006, the University admitted
111 less than it did last year.
While the changes in both the
total number of applications, and
the applications from under-rep-
resented minorities increased by
about 6.5 percent, the total number
of admitted applicants increased
15 percent while the number of
admitted minorities dropped by
7.4 percent.
This year the University accept-
ed 502 minority applicants in the
months before Proposal 2 passed,
an increase of about 85 percent
from the 270 it accepted at the same
time last year.
Chris Lucier, the University's
director of recruitment and opera-
tions, said that this figure could like-
ly be attributed to a more aggressive
recruiting approach rather than
priority given to applications from
minority students in anticipation of
the passage of Proposal 2.
"We did have a number of
recruitment events this year where
we encouraged minority appli-
cants to apply and apply early,"
Lucier said.
The numbers indicate that the
loss of the advantage granted by
affirmative action brought the ratio
of minority applicants accepted to
a level almost on par with non-
minority applicants.
Twelve percent more minor-
ity applicants were accepted than
non-minority applicants in 2006,
while in the final 2007 admis-
sions numbers the gap closed to
put minority acceptance at about
1 percentage point less than non-
minority acceptance.
Lucier said this year's data do
not entirely reveal the impact of the
affirmative action ban on admis-
sions because two processes were
used during the cycle.
"I believe that there was an
impact," he said. "ButI can't assess
the magnitude of the impact. Part
of the decrease of 7.4 (percent) was
attributed to Prop 2."
But although the University was
forced to reject some minority appli-
cants who may have been admitted
with affirmative action, more of
those admitted accepted admission
offers frotm the University.
Four percent more admitted
minority applicants put down a
deposit this year to confirm plans
to attend than did last year. Accept-
ed minority applicants paid depos-
its two percent more often than
accepted applicants as a whole.
The numbers ease administra-
tors' concern that minority stu-
dents would be deterred from
attending the University because of
the perception that its campus was
not welcoming to minorities after
the passage of Proposal 2.
Lucier said he thought the high-
er numbers can be attributed to the
University's outreach programs as
BY THE NUMBERS
15
The percent change in the total number of
admitted applicants from 2006 to 2007
-7.4
The percent change in admitted minority
applicants from 2006-2007
well as the overall increased inter-
est in the University from students
applying to college.
"It shows the efforts made in the
aftermath of Prop 2 to talk to stu-
dents about the opportunities the
University of Michigan provides
were successful," he said.
Record year for 'U' apps
'U' makes your
name your choice
Last set of decisions for
class of 2011 to go out
on Friday
By LAYLA ASLANI
DailyStaffReporter
Apr. 10, 2007 - Be glad that you've
already been accepted to the Uni-
versity. Statistics suggest that this
is one of the most competitive
admissions cycles ever.
The acceptance rate for this
year's freshman class is expected
to be about 45 percent compared to
about 47 percent last year, accord-
ing to the University's Undergradu-
ate Admissions website.
Chris Lucier, the University's
director of recruitment and opera-
tions, said the University set a
new application record this year,
with about 27,000 applicants. That
includes an increase in in-state,
out-of-state and international
applications.
The University's targeted fresh-
man enrollment is 5,400 students,
but it sent out only about 12,300
acceptance letters because slightly
more than half of those accepted
will not enroll.
Last year, 25,733 people applied
for admission, about 1,200 fewer
than this year.
Because the University does not
admit more students in response to
an increase in applications, admis-
sions is becoming more selective
instead, Lucier said.
Lucier said the application
increase is a reflection of the Uni-
versity's growth in popularity.
"I think Michigan is truly recog-
nized as one of the premier institu-
tions," he said. "Students embrace
the type of environment and diver-
sity of thoughts, ideas and perspec-
tives available here."
Former University President
James Duderstadt, though, said
universities nationwide are seeing
increases in applicants.
Duderstadt recently served on
Secretary of Education Marga-
ret Spellings' Commission on the
Future of Higher Education. He
said in an e-mail interview that the
nationwide increase is probably
due in part to efforts to standardize
applications for electronic submis-
sion, which makes it easier for stu-
dents to apply to more universities.
Although data is not yet avail-
able for this fall's class, the grade
point averages and standardized
test scores of freshman classes at
the University of Michigan have
been inching upward over the last
10 years.
The range of composite ACT
scores for the middle 50 percent of
enrolled freshmen has increased
from 25-30 in 1996 to 27-31 last year.
The middle 50 percent of combined
SAT scores has increased from 1140-
1360 in 1996 to 1210-1420 lastyear.
The middle 50 percent of the
1996 freshman class had high
school GPAs ranging from 3.4 to
3.9. The same group of last fall's
freshman class had a high school
GPA of 3.6 to 3.9.
Applicants are also involved in
more extracurricular activities
each year, Lucier said.
Colleen Creal, a guidance coun-
selor at Pioneer High School in Ann
Arbor said she has seen the qual-
ity of applicants increase over the
sevenyears she has worked there.
"They are just more well-round-
ed kids," she said.
Almost 300 universities use
the Common Application, which
allows students to apply to mul-
tiple schools by filling out the same
form. The University of Michigan
is not one of them.
Lucier said it's these things that
make reviewing the 27,000 appli-
cations interesting for him and his
staff.
"It's something beyond GPA and
test scores," he said.
Transgender activists
hail decision on
preferred' names
By KATHERINE MITCHELL
Daily StaffReporter
Mar. 30, 2007 - Sebastian Colon,
a graduate student in the School
of Social Work, knows what's in a
name.
Colon, a self-identified transgen-
der student, goes by his male name
rather than the female title on his
Mcard, driver's license and CTools
account. Because he couldn't get
his name changed legally, Colon
has petitioned the University since
2005 to use his preferred name for
University business.
Colon is finally getting what he
has been asking for.
The University announced
Thursday that it will adopt a pre-
ferred name policy for students
and faculty at all three of its cam-
puses, allowing individuals to use
their preferred name for class ros-
ters, CTools accounts, MCards and
almost anything else.
The preferred name policy comes
in response to an April 2004 report
from the Office of the Provost about
the acceptance and inclusion of
transgender, bisexual, lesbian and
gay students, staff and faculty. The
report prompted the Provost's office
to appoint three subcommittees
in fall of 2004, including one that
examined name changes.
The subcommittee presented its
recommendations in June 2005. It
asked the University to recognize
preferred names instead of legal
ones in most circumstances.
"The University's committed to
diversity," Colon said. "And that's
one way to include all identities."
Assistant Provost Jeff Frumkin
said students will be able to use
their preferred name in the Univer-
sity system starting in the next aca-
demic year.
The University will not use pre-
ferred names on student transcripts,
license certifications for faculty or
staff members or tax information.
Frumkin said the details of the
policy and its implementation have
not been finalized. He said students
currently enrolled at the University
will probably be allowed one free
MCard change.