Fla. University Board Backs Ending Racial Preference

The State University System’s Board of Regents voted Thursday to end race, national origin and gender as considerations for admission to Florida’s 10 public universities.

The 14-member panel, with two members absent, voted, 12-0, in favor of Gov. Jeb Bush’s One Florida plan, which, he contends will enhance diversity by increasing outreach efforts and by admitting the top 20% of each high school senior class into state universities.

Hundreds of college students, elected officials and others came from around the state to the meeting at the University of Central Florida. Many said the One Florida plan would result in fewer minorities attending state universities.

“This plan looks very good on paper,” said Telisha Terry, 21, a UCF student. “But if you really think about it, the top 20% of students go to college anyway.”

Dennis Freytes, a trustee of Orlando’s Valencia Community College, disagreed, saying “We should not cling to policies that are not based on merit.”

The regents also approved a system to admit students who do not meet admission criteria by using a student profile assessment, which considers socioeconomic status, whether a student’s parents went to college, and whether a high school is low performing.

The plan needs final approval from Bush and independently elected Cabinet members, who will meet Tuesday. Approval would mean Florida would join California and Texas where such bans are in effect.