Wayne State University, an institution of nearly 35,000 students located in Detroit, Michigan, is attempting to deal with Proposition 2 which was passed in the November elections and banned racial preferences for university admissions.
The Detroit Free Press reports that the WSU law school will change its admissions policy to reflect the new law, but would have certain exceptions:
So, if you are a member of Detroit's 80% black majority and went to one of Detroit's badly performing schools, then you get special preference for law school admission... in violation of the law?• Adversity, such as attending a low-performing K-12 school (most Detroit schools) or experiencing prejudice or discrimination (what would Homer Simpson say?).
• Being a Detroit resident (80% black).
• Being a member of a Native American tribe (??? not many in the Detroit area).
I really don't have an issue if a Detroit-based college that gets funding support from Detroit wants to offer admission preference to Detroit's citizens. WSU does not qualify for that. It is a state supported university where the only preference should be for state residents.
Why jump through such hoops? Rather than such convoluted "exceptions" simply offer the following:
- scholarships for academic achievement (coming in from high school and for high-performing university students)
- financial aid for students from low-income families
The difference between my proposal and WSU's proposal: mine is based on merit and need; WSU's is based on race and questionable sociology.
Incidentally, WSU has many privately-funded scholarships that are available to specific ethnic groups that are independent of admissions policy and are perfectly legal.
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