This is in regard to the opinions expressed about the U of U SOM admission policy. I will take quotes directly from the Minutes record of the audit that the state legislature conducted. ” The University of Utah SOM’s admissions practices have changed in recent years to, among other things, better enable the school to mirror the diversity of race and gender found in the general population. In seeking to enroll a class of students that reflects the same general proportion of minorities and women, the school has had to increase the rate of acceptance among monorities and women. As a result, the fairness of the school’s admissions practices have been questioned.” “…roughly one out of every two women… were accepted… one out of every two minority applicants were accepted… while only one of five men were accepted.” This must mean that either a higher percentage of the male applicants are underqualified, or that a higher percentage of the women and minority applicants are more qualified. Of course the school has no quotas (that might be against the law), but the SOM has “…elevated the importance of diversity-related selection criteria and reduced the importance of academic achievement…” to promote diversity. Boy, that makes me feel comfortable knowing that the doctors coming out of the U might not be the most qualified. At least they are bringing diversity to the school. I want a diverse doctor, not a qualified doctor, to see my family. Now, regarding the “rolling admissions policy,” this is an easy one. The school says on their website that they have a “rolling admissions policy”, not a “modified” or “partial” rolling admissions policy. I know that what we wanted to say and what we did say sometimes gets us in trouble. I guess that SOM isn’t an exception to that rule. Finally, the two students who responded to the Chrony’s first article had to defend the school. They attend the school! Maybe they are trying to get extra points toward their grades. I would like to see what they would have thought had they not been accepted. Nice try.
Yours truly, Colby EngarSenior at the U of UExercise Physiology
If you want to see the Minutes record on the audit look at www.le.state.ut.us/interim/2002/pdf/20020129.speaud.mn.01.pdf