Report 2019-113 Recommendation 4 Responses

Report 2019-113: The University of California: Qualified Students Face an Inconsistent and Unfair Admissions System That Has Been Improperly Influenced by Relationships and Monetary Donations (Release Date: September 2020)

Recommendation #4 To: University of California

Beginning with the fall 2021 admissions cycle, the Office of the President should oversee UC Berkeley's admissions process for at least three years. The Office of the President should ensure that all admissions decisions are merit-based and conform to the university's policies on admissions. Further, the Office of the President should facilitate the establishment of a culture of ethical conduct in admissions by providing regular training to admissions and development staff, conducting reviews of admissions decisions, and monitoring the admissions office's communications about applicants to ensure no inappropriate factors influence admissions activities.

1-Year Agency Response

All campuses, including Berkeley, have addressed this issue so that all admissions decisions are merit-based and conform to the university's policies on admissions.

All campuses, including Berkeley have taken steps to improve their processes and policies to strengthen their defenses against the risk of inappropriate activity and are committed to safeguarding the transparency and fairness in their admissions practices. Further, campuses have updated their annual training detailing when and how to report inappropriate activities or conflicts of interest.

UCOP resources are most effectively and efficiently deployed in overseeing admissions from a systemwide vantage point and perspective, in conjunction with the Academic Senate and BOARS.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Will Not Implement

UC Berkeley inappropriately admitted more than 50 applicants based on those applicants' connections to donors and University staff. Those admissions occurred despite existing UC Berkeley policy prohibiting the influence of donations on admissions decisions and some other procedural safeguards to prevent improper influence. As we describe in the report, these admissions occurred because UC Berkeley leadership failed to develop a campus culture that supports fair and merit based admissions decisions. Without such a culture, additional trainings and policies, although necessary, are not by themselves sufficient to prevent improper influence in future admissions decisions. It is therefore unfortunate that the University has decided to forego establishing stronger oversight of UC Berkeley admissions until the campus demonstrates that it has developed a culture that promotes fairness in admissions decisions.

6-Month Agency Response

Academic Affairs continues to evaluate the implementation of this recommendation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

The Office of the President is currently evaluating the implementation of this recommendation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2019-113

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.