The University of California’s Academic Council has directed the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS) to conduct a faculty-led review of the system’s test-blind admissions policy, following widespread faculty opposition to the elimination of SAT and ACT requirements.
The decision, announced on July 22, comes after more than 3,000 faculty members across the UC system signed open letters urging the reinstatement of standardized testing in undergraduate admissions. The pushback follows the 2020 decision by former UC President Janet Napolitano to phase out the SAT and ACT, citing equity concerns and racial disparities in standardized testing outcomes.
Faculty Divide Over Testing Policy
A sociology professor at UCLA, Gabriel Rossman, argued that the removal of standardized tests has not achieved its intended goal of reducing racial disparities. Rossman, who co-authored an open letter with non-STEM faculty, stated that the UC Regents’ decision to eliminate the SAT and ACT was based on the belief that the tests had a disparate racial impact.
The non-STEM faculty letter, signed by professors in social sciences, humanities, arts, business, law, education, and other fields, endorses a similar letter from STEM faculty that specifically addressed the math component of the SAT/ACT. The non-STEM signatories argued for the reinstatement of the verbal reasoning component of the tests as well.
UC’s Response and Next Steps
The UC Academic Council’s directive to BOARS follows growing faculty feedback and signals a potential shift in the system’s admissions policies. The review will be evidence-based and led by faculty, though no timeline for completion has been specified.
Supporters of the test-blind policy argue that standardized tests disadvantage underrepresented racial and socioeconomic groups, reinforcing systemic inequities. Critics, including the faculty signatories, contend that removing the tests has not resolved disparities and may have unintended consequences for academic preparedness and fairness in admissions.
The UC system has not yet indicated whether the review will lead to a reversal of the test-blind policy, but the move reflects an ongoing debate over the role of standardized testing in higher education admissions.