Ban Sought on Political Clout at UC

Republican Assemblyman Bernie Richter of Chico, who initiated the legislative fight to abolish affirmative action in government, said Tuesday that he will move to prohibit the University of California from admitting students based on their political clout.

Richter, conservative chairman of a budget subcommittee that reviews UC’s finances, called preferential admissions practices of any kind discriminatory and wrong.

He announced his proposed ban in the wake of newspaper reports showing that some UC regents, lawmakers and other high-level elected officials sought special treatment for political friends and family members in student admissions at UCLA and other UC campuses. Some were admitted over more qualified candidates.

The lawmaker said he plans to amend the state budget to include a prohibition against the special acceptance of students because of political influence or parents’ wealth.

“I’m here to try to change a system that is wrong. And giving preferences to people, as has been exposed in the press, is wrong,” Richter told a hastily called news conference.

He conceded that writing such a ban would be difficult because it would have to make a distinction between routine letters of recommendation written on behalf of applicants by public officials, and those that cross the line and attempt to use political influence.

“It is tricky, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be dealt with,” Richter said. The prohibition would be aimed at applicants with “clear political clout” who can gain entry through the back door “by virtue of their position and status,” he said.

Given that some legislators have written letters to UC officials on behalf of students, it is uncertain whether Richter’s prohibition will succeed.

Some lawmakers have indicated that they believe that UC can resolve the situation without help from the Legislature, including Assemblyman Brooks Firestone (R-Los Olivos), chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee.

Shortly after Richter’s news conference, Firestone told reporters that he has rejected requests for an investigation. “At this time, it is an internal matter [for UC]. It is not a policy matter for the Legislature.”

Richter is a 1955 graduate of UCLA who two years ago led the legislative drive to outlaw affirmative action for women and minorities. He said Tuesday that he wrote a letter on behalf of a Cal State University student who had qualified for Cal State admission but had failed to meet an enrollment deadline.

The lawmaker held his news conference as hundreds of UC alumni gathered in Sacramento as part of an annual event to lobby legislators on university issues.

At a breakfast meeting, UC President Richard C. Atkinson acknowledged that UC responds to pleas by VIPs on admissions requests, but insisted that “we do not let them sway the actual decision.”

Atkinson, who served for 15 years as chancellor at UC San Diego before his promotion last year to be president of the nine-campus system, also has said that he fielded special admissions requests in San Diego.

He said he “always responded by asking the admissions officer to review the case and determine that the application was fairly treated.” But confidential records reviewed by The Times show that Atkinson made one admissions request of UCLA for a student who was not admitted and made a housing request for a student who was given a dormitory room.