“Otherwise the message looks like “it is ok to cheat if you have money” (which is unfortunately a common viewpoint, given the amount stolen in white collar crime these days, among other things).”
The issue not that cheating is being condoned here, the policy is that it’s appropriate to send recommendation letters as long as you do it during admissions season and send it to the director of admissions. Blum claims he’s been doing this and didn’t get that feedback.
“The Board recognizes that any correspondence or inquiries received from individual Regents and from elected officials may be appropriate but also notes that efforts to inappropriately influence the outcome of individual admissions decisions are not.”
I don’t think this is cheating, of course others would think that it is. To me cheating is varsity blues - lying on the application, making up stuff about an athlete, getting illegal accommodations on tests, that’s cheating. If the Feds get involved in this, I’ll stand corrected.