Asian-Americans UC Admissions

As Asian-Americans who are active in public policy issues concerning education, we find Stephen R. Barnett’s article “Who Gets In? A Troubling Policy” (Commentary, June 11) troubling itself. In questioning that small portion of the admissions process based on a socioeconomic status (SES), Barnett not only paints a distorted picture of the University of California admissions process but also attempts to pit Asian-American interests against other racial minorities, using the percentage of Asian-American students to question admission levels of other minority students.

Implicit in Barnett’s comments is the disturbing suggestion that Asian-Americans are a “model minority” only if they remain just that--a minority.

Barnett’s arguments are undercut by inaccuracies in his supporting facts. For example, Barnett states that “SES was part of a deal between Berkeley policy-makers and Asian-American leaders who had been complaining that Berkeley had discriminated against Asian-Americans.” Nothing is further from the truth.

In fact, the SES policy was created by a committee of faculty members, openly debated in the Academic Senate and ratified by the entire senate membership.

Barnett also states that “since Asian-Americans outnumber whites in the group by almost 5 to 1, SES distinctly aggravates Berkeley’s racial disproportion.” The declining representation of whites at Berkeley and the increasing representation of Asian-Americans are largely the products of demographic changes, not admissions policies. Less than 50% of all California high school graduates are white.

Of greater concern, however, is his usage of the Asian-American community as a wedge to question admissions policies. It is a tactic which has been employed not only by opponents of minority admissions policies, but also by those contesting minority targeted scholarships. Frankly, it is policy which we resent.

Rationing slots among eligible students is never an easy process. But to call for the elimination of SES as a criterion for admission because it has not increased the number of white students does not make any sense. Generating opposition by singling out Asian-Americans is playing pure racial politics. UC Berkeley’s effort to use SES as a criterion for admission represents an effort to develop criteria that are not race based yet take social disadvantage into consideration.

DENNIS HAYASHI, National Director

DALE SHIMASKI, National Education Chair

Japanese-American Citizens League, San Francisco