After revelations that outgoing University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers personally intervened in the admission into UT-Austin of numerous otherwise unqualified students, the school is reviewing its admissions process.  An investigation by Kroll Associates revealed that Powers was using his office to reward the children of wealthy donors and influential alumni. Some of the students admitted were described as completely unqualified for admission to the school but were let in based at Powers’ urging.  The Houston Chronicle reports on the new investigation.

System Chancellor William McRaven announced Monday that he is forming a committee to examine UT-Austin admissions policy in the aftermath of the review by Kroll Associates. “My goal is to ensure full and open transparency to the public with respect to how admissions decisions are made at UT-Austin,” McRaven said in a statement. “I realize that admissions practices are complicated and nuanced processes, but we must clearly define a policy that determines the degree of appropriate discretion at the institution level, while ensuring a fair and transparent process for applicants.”

Committee member Larry Faulkner, UT-Austin president from 1998 to 2006, said last week that it’s important to keep the report in perspective. “I think something that’s very important to understand is that every selective university has a president who gets letters about admissions,” Faulkner said, echoing part of Powers’ response to the report.

The report by the Kroll consulting firm, commissioned by the UT System Board of Regents, stopped short of condemning the president’s intervention in admissions decisions. It said Powers broke no rules and acknowledged that universities must consider factors such as relationships with donors and legislators.