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Editorial - October 2003 |
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UNC should clarify position on admissions |
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Published October 15, 2003 |
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UNC’s proposal to admit more out-of-state freshmen as a way to create a greater academic mix in the system is bound to bring sharp criticisms from those who see the move as sacrificing in-state students. And if that is in fact the result of the request, it deserves all of the scorn. But the impact of admitting a few more out-of-state students may not be that great. More specifics are needed, and the all-important answer to this question: How many in-state students would fail to get into a UNC campus because of the admissions of out-of-state students? The answer has to be none. UNC’s first commitment is to the students of North Carolina and that obligation should never be compromised. The plan, as we understand from published reports earlier this month, would allow universities to admit 4 percent more out-of-state students than the current ceiling of 18 percent, up to 22 percent of enrollment. The reason for expanding these admissions is that UNC is now shutting the door on some extremely bright out-of-state students whose presence on campus would unquestionably raise the quality of the academic environment. UNC-Chapel Hill had 11,000 out-of-state applicants for 635 slots last year, and these students generally had far higher SAT scores and high school grade-point averages than in-state applicants. UNC officials think many of these high-performing students would choose to stay in North Carolina after graduation. What’s confusing is the numbers and whose doing the math. UNC officials say the increase in out-of-state students would be offset by allowing more in-state student admissions. But some officials have already concluded that if the cap is exceeded in the way that it is requested, some North Carolina students would lose their admission slots to out-of-staters. Another issue in this discussion is the heavy financial burden now on the UNC system. Is it a proper time to expand student admissions when the system is cutting many faculty positions? Will the higher tuition paid by out-of-state students be provide sufficient resources. If UNC is serious about allowing more out-of-state students into the system, it should fully address these questions.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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