Supporters said the policy would help ensure a diverse student body, give more minorities access to higher education and prepare all students to enter the global work force. Critics have questioned whether the policy would shut out qualified students in favor of minorities.
UW System spokesman David Giroux praised Van Hollen for a "good and thorough" review of the policy, which officials used to select the 160,000 students who will be enrolled in UW campuses this fall.
"This appears to be a confirmation that this is indeed a fair and honest admissions policy," he said.
But Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, said he was disappointed in Van Hollen's findings and pledged to introduce legislation to stop the policy. His chances at succeeding appear unlikely, however, because Democrats who favor the policy control the Senate.
"The attorney general has ruled that you can discriminate on the basis of race as long as you do not bar somebody on the basis of race. I think he is wrong," Grothman said. "We will try to remove this divisive policy of the University of Wisconsin."
- Associated Press
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