Kansas University may become a more exclusive place to be in the next 10 years.
University administrators say they plan to consider higher admissions standards at KU than those at other state universities in Kansas.
The change could reduce the need for remedial education and help KU in national university rankings, which rely in part on selectivity.
"The qualified admissions standards (currently in place) are really not very high," said David Shulenburger, provost and executive vice chancellor. "There are certainly some students who meet those standards who aren't ready for a rigorous college education."
The "selective admissions" standards are included as part of KU's long-term goals in its self-study being submitted to the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, which will send a re-accreditation team to KU in January.
"At the undergraduate level," the report says, "the institution plans to undertake a program to build public and legislative support for the university to move from its current policy of qualified admissions to selective admissions for undergraduate students."
KU's peers
Shulenburger said no time frame had been set for pursuing the goal, and no plan has been formulated to present to regents or the Legislature. He said administrators would include entities across campus in discussing the issue before deciding whether to pursue it.
He said most of KU's peers in other states -- large, public, research universities that offer doctoral degrees -- have higher admissions standards than those at smaller, regional universities.
On the Street: Should Kansas University raise its admission standards above that of other in-state universities?"Most flagship universities have selective admissions," Shulenberger said. "All that (goal) signals is it's something we as a campus need to talk about."
The current admissions standards, which apply to the six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, were enacted in 1996 and implemented for the fall 2001 freshman class.
Students must meet one of three criteria to be admitted to a state university:
- Rank in the top third of their high school graduating class.
- Maintain a 2.0 grade-point average using a college-track curriculum.
- Score at least a 21 on the ACT.
Universities are allowed to admit up to 10 percent of their freshman classes as exceptions to the law, for Kansas residents who don't meet the standards.
Missouri standards
If KU were to move to higher admissions standards, Kansas' system might more closely mirror that of Missouri.
In Missouri, campuses can choose to be in one of four admissions categories: "highly selective," "selective," "moderately selective" and "open enrollment."
The only highly selective university, Truman State University, requires students to score a 27 or better on the ACT. The selective institutions, which include the four campuses of the University of Missouri, require a 24 on the ACT, and the moderately selective universities require a 21.
Open enrollment schools, which include mostly community and technical colleges, admit any Missouri resident with a high school diploma.
"It's kind of a measurement for students as they prepare, that there are different categories of universities for them," said Renee Riley, public information specialist for the Missouri Department of Higher Education. "Some students fit better at different institutions based on their preparation level."
A tough sell
But changing the system might be difficult. Even putting in place the basic qualified admissions criteria took considerable debate.
"We were dealing with what was the lowest common denominator at the time," said former state Rep. Ralph Tanner of Baldwin. "There's a strong impulse across the state that if you're a taxpayer in Kansas who graduated from an accredited high school, you should have the privilege of going to state universities. It's almost a birthright."
Bill Docking, a longtime member of the Board of Regents, said he would wait to hear KU's proposal before deciding whether it was a good idea.
He agreed with Tanner that the change would be difficult. But he said he could see potential benefits.
"I certainly understand the position KU is taking in wanting to set their own standards, and I think they should," Docking said. "If the university is looking to upgrade the qualification of entering freshmen into the university, and increasing test scores of the ACT, for example, this would be consistent with that."
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