The University of Texas can now consider race as a factor for student admissions, but those guidelines don’t apply to UF.
In order to increase diversity, admission officials at UT are permitted to look at an applicant’s race and ethnicity for admission, as ruled by the Supreme Court on June 23.
But the ruling doesn’t affect UF.
“UF is prohibited by the Florida Board of Governors to consider race in admissions, even as one of many factors in holistic review,” UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes wrote in an email.
According to UF law professor Darren Hutchinson, race cannot be the predominant factor for admission.
Though studies have shown affirmative action to be very effective in creating diversity, race-neutral mechanisms are also effective, such as looking at socioeconomic status, zip codes and geography, Hutchinson said.
Instead of using affirmative action, UF has implemented a number of programs to increase diversity within the community, Sikes wrote.
Some of the programs include the Black Student Affairs Task Force, the Bias Education and Response Team and Enrollment Management.
In recent years, black enrollment at UF, particularly with males, has decreased, she wrote.
“Dr. Fuchs, who started at UF in January, of 2015, along with Enrollment Management and Student Affairs are committed to increasing the broad diversity of our community,” Sikes wrote.
