<p>The only misinformation involved with "holistic" admissions is that it makes it harder to see where the universities priorities are. Back with the point system, it was very clear that being a URM got a huge advantage. To the point that, all else things being equal, a URM with a straight B average was considered the same as a non-URM with straight A's. And just because the university changed their method of handling admissions doesn't mean their priorities as far as what they're looking for had to change.</p>
<p>Also, I don't get why you're acting like Proposal 2 is some kind of attack directly at U of M to try and assume complete control over it. It's a state law that applies to all public employment, public contracting, and public education.</p>
<p>"Should President Coleman suddenly have the power to tell Briarwood Mall which stores it should allow in it's complex?"
No, but if the mall were attempting to open some kind of pornography shop, the citizens of Ann Arbor would have a right to petition the government to say it shouldn't be allowed in the mall under some kind of law relating to public decency. One of these two scenarious accurately reflects what happened.</p>
<p>Last I checked, not very many 17 year olds voted on proposition 2. The problems proposition 2 can solve are
1) Not setting up URMs for failure by accepting them when they otherwise wouldn't be qualified. They're better off going to a place that's more of an academic match so they can succeed and thrive. If you don't have the necessary education before college, even if you're equally capable it will be difficult to make up 10+ years of sub-par education at a competitive institution.
2) Prevent undeserving people from getting scholarships/preferential treatment (aka people who are only some small fraction of a URM).
3) Admissions is a zero sum game: How much of an effect it has is debatable, but for every person who is accepted or gets a scholarship due to URM status, there's another kid somewhere who isn't getting accepted or getting a scholarship, despite being qualified for it sans AA. That is racism, plain and simple.
4) Shift the focus of closing the race gap back to somewhere where it might make a difference. When you get down to it, the problem is more with poverty than race, it just so happens that due to the past, poverty and race are associated. Improving living situations and elementary education in inner cities/poor areas will have a much larger societal effect than giving some minorities (regardless of socioeconomic status) a magical bonus at the college level.</p>