SAT changes and lower minority admissions

Re “New Version of SAT Brings Lower Scores in U.S., California,” Aug. 30

You omit some facts. First, the University of California system in 2001 threatened to abandon the SAT. It is widely acknowledged that this threat alone precipitated the revision of the SAT to the new format -- one for which the written section scoring rubric is arguably both arbitrary and poorly administered.

Second, at UCLA, African American and other minority application and enrollment rates for this fall are at lows not seen since the 1970s. This despite an increase in minorities taking the SAT and higher minority application and enrollment rates at other schools.

Perhaps the SAT owner -- the College Board -- should address this anomaly as well as this dip in regional and national scores.

RICHARD NEWTON MEYER

Los Angeles