PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Researchers find substantial drop in use of affirmative action in college admissions

2014-01-14
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Tony Pals
tpals@aera.net
202-238-3235
American Educational Research Association
Researchers find substantial drop in use of affirmative action in college admissions WASHINGTON, D.C., January 13, 2014 - University of Washington researchers Grant H. Blume and Mark C. Long have produced the first empirical estimates using national-level data to show the extent to which levels of affirmative action in college admissions decisions changed during the period of 1992 to 2004. Blume and Long's study, "Changes in Levels of Affirmative Action in College Admissions in Response to Statewide Bans and Judicial Rulings," was recently published online in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis (EEPA), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

The authors find a significant decline nationally in the level of affirmative action used by selective public colleges from 1992 to 2004. This decline is attributable to institutions in the eight states affected by statewide affirmative action bans or Circuit Court rulings during the period (Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Washington).

While selective public institutions in the eight states, which Blume and Long label "post affirmative action states," ceased giving preferences to minority applicants in their admissions decisions, selective public institutions in other states continued to do so.

"There's been a lot of debate about whether or not states are complying with the law," said Blume. "Our research shows that they are."

Blume and Long define affirmative action as the higher probability of admission for an underrepresented minority (black, Hispanic, or Native American) student compared with a similar nonminority (white or Asian) student at the same institution. They found substantial and significant preference being given to minority students in 1992 at highly selective institutions in all states, but by 2004 there were dramatic declines in preference given to minority students in the eight affected states.

Outside of the eight post-affirmative action states, at selective public institutions (i.e., colleges and universities where an enrolled first-year student has a median SAT score of 1,100 or higher) a minority applicant was 19 percentage points more likely to be admitted than a comparable non-minority applicant in 1992, and this advantage remained at 18 percentage points in 2004.

The researchers also found spillover effects for students living in states bordering the eight affected states, particularly in Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho. Because these neighboring states lack highly selective institutions, students who apply to selective institutions in nearby California and Washington were affected by the decline in affirmative action in those two states.

"These spillover effects are important to consider, especially in light of the growing number of states that have more recently enacted statewide bans (including Michigan, Nebraska, Arizona, and Oklahoma) as these bans will likewise have regional implications for college applicants," said Long.

To determine the magnitude of changes in affirmative action in states affected by bans and court rulings, Blume and Long examined nationally representative data on admissions decisions from 1994 and 2004. In Texas, the 1997 Hopwood v. Texas ruling effectively banned affirmative action in college admissions; voter referendums in California in 1996 and in Washington in 1998 and administrative decisions in Florida in 1999 had the same result. The Hopwood and 2001 Johnson v. Board of Regents of the University of Georgia rulings against affirmative action applied to public colleges in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

### Contact

Tony Pals
tpals@aera.net
office: (202) 238-3235
cell: (202) 288-9333

Bridget Jameson
bjameson@aera.net
office: (202) 238-3233

Video

Blume and Long discuss key findings from their study at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV_Ui9cXWG0&list=UUFn7mFMPWnOYzfD8VXtTkgQ&feature=c4-overview.

About the Authors

Grant H. Blume is a PhD candidate at the University of Washington: gblume@uw.edu, (206) 707-1974.

Mark C. Long is an associate professor at the University of Washington: marklong@uw.edu, (206) 543-3787.

About AERA

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national professional organization devoted to the scientific study of education. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook and Twitter.

This news release is available online at http://www.aera.net/Newsroom/NewsReleasesandStatements/ResearchersFindSubstantialDropinUseofAffirmativeActioninCollegeAdmissions/tabid/15325/Default.aspx.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Researchers identify key proteins responsible for electrical communication in the heart

2014-01-14
Researchers identify key proteins responsible for electrical communication in the heart Findings shed light on the root of healthy heart function and reveal a class of drugs that can prevent erratic heartbeats tied to heart attacks, strokes and other health ...

NASA's infrared satellite imagery shows wind shear affecting Cyclone Ian

2014-01-14
NASA's infrared satellite imagery shows wind shear affecting Cyclone Ian Tropical Cyclone Ian has been battered by wind shear and infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite revealed that the bulk of the precipitation has been pushed east and southeast of the storm's ...

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia traced from genetic roots to physical defect

2014-01-14
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia traced from genetic roots to physical defect Rensselaer researchers contribute to discovery of gene associated with deadly birth defect Troy, N.Y. – A team including researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered ...

Study demonstrates need to change scoring system for heart disease

2014-01-14
Study demonstrates need to change scoring system for heart disease Dense heart plaques may have protective quality A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine shows that one of the most widely used systems for ...

EARTH Magazine: Climate, terroir and wine: What matters most in producing a great wine?

2014-01-14
EARTH Magazine: Climate, terroir and wine: What matters most in producing a great wine? Alexandria, VA – What goes into a great wine and what role does geology play? Wine experts use the word terroir to describe the myriad environmental influences, including ...

Small molecule shows promise as anti-cancer therapy

2014-01-14
Small molecule shows promise as anti-cancer therapy Johns Hopkins scientists say a previously known but little studied chemical compound targets and shuts down a common cancer process. In studies of laboratory-grown human tumor cell lines, the drug disrupted tumor cell ...

NASA adds up Tropical Cyclone Colin's rainfall rates

2014-01-14
NASA adds up Tropical Cyclone Colin's rainfall rates Tropical Cyclone Colin continued moving through the Southern Indian Ocean on January 13 while NASA's TRMM satellite passed overhead and calculated the rates in which rain was falling throughout the storm. The ...

Viral microRNAs responsible for causing AIDS-related cancer, new USC study shows

2014-01-14
Viral microRNAs responsible for causing AIDS-related cancer, new USC study shows Molecular cluster and its cellular targets could help with drug development LOS ANGELES - For the first time, scientists and engineers have identified ...

Passing bowls family-style teaches day-care kids to respond to hunger cues, fights obesity

2014-01-14
Passing bowls family-style teaches day-care kids to respond to hunger cues, fights obesity URBANA, Ill. – When children and child-care providers sit around a table together at mealtime, passing ...

Tricky protein may help HIV vaccine development

2014-01-14
Tricky protein may help HIV vaccine development Newly described 3-part protein will help guide future efforts at Duke DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke scientists have taken aim at what may be an Achilles' heel of the HIV virus. Combining expertise in biochemistry, immunology and advanced ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

[Press-News.org] Researchers find substantial drop in use of affirmative action in college admissions