The University of California Board of Regents unanimously voted to amend the UC application process during yesterday’s meeting.

The newly implemented holistic application review procedure will include an individualized reading of each application and consideration of applicants’ personal challenges. Additionally, the board increased the wages paid to several UC Office of the President employees.

A new in-depth application assessment will replace the traditional “comprehensive review” system in which students are judged on a 14-point rubric that includes grades, test scores, extracurricular activities and personal essays.

UC officials said the new holistic approach will compare applicants to their peers, consider the location of their high schools and evaluate their work experience.
Some board members said the new approach is more characteristic of private universities and susceptible to subjectivity.

Additionally, the board approved pay hikes for three UCOP financial managers. The executives received 10 percent increases to their base salaries. Chief Risk Officer Grace Crickette, Assistant Vice President of Financial Services & Controls Dan Sampson and Executive Director of Capital Markets Finance Sandra Kim will now obtain $216,370, $234,520 and $247,500, respectively.

During Wednesday’s meeting, UC Vice President for Budget Patrick Lenz introduced possible solutions to help offset the potential impact of the $500 million cut in UC funding proposed by Governor Jerry Brown. Lenz’s suggestions included reducing the University’s financial aid budget, increasing student fees, releasing employees and admitting out of state students.

UC President Mark G. Yudof said the University’s foreseeable financial woes will not be easily resolved.

“This is not a sustainable trajectory,” Yudof said during yesterday’s meeting. “All of this suggests that we must now begin to take a hard look at whether to shorten the reach of the University in terms of enrollment.”

—Staff Report