UCLA Is Cleared in Bias Case : Education: Officials reviewing admission to math department's graduate program reverse decision that rejection of five Asian-Americans was discriminatory.

UCLA Is Cleared in Bias Case : Education: Officials reviewing admission to math department’s graduate program reverse decision that rejection of five Asian-Americans was discriminatory.

By SANDY BANKS

Aug. 27, 1993 12 AM PT

TIMES EDUCATION WRITER

Reversing an earlier ruling, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has cleared UCLA of discriminating against Asian-Americans applying for admission to the department of mathematics’ graduate program.

After a 30-month review of UCLA graduate school admissions, civil rights officials had concluded in 1990 that a disparity between the rates at which white applicants and equally qualified Asian-Americans were admitted to the math department “appeared to be race-related” and in violation of federal law.

An examination of 73 other UCLA graduate departments showed no such anti-Asian bias, officials determined. They recommended that UCLA change its admission policies in the department of mathematics and offer admission to five Asian-American applicants who had been unfairly denied entrance.

But UCLA challenged the discrimination charges. The university presented more detailed information on factors that influenced admission decisions in more than three dozen cases questioned by civil rights officials.

That new information convinced civil rights officials that the admission decisions “appear to be non-discriminatory,” according to a letter that regional civil rights Director John E. Palomino sent to UCLA officials earlier this month.

UCLA officials said they were heartened that the graduate admissions process was vindicated.

“Throughout this review, we have said that racially neutral criteria are used to determine graduate enrollment in the department of mathematics at UCLA, and now the findings by the Office for Civil Rights validate the fairness of our policy,” Chancellor Charles E. Young said.

To comply with civil rights law, the university will be required give the Office for Civil Rights a detailed explanation of its criteria for admission to the department of mathematics and an explanation for any denials next year that are inconsistent with that criteria.