The new policy took effect immediately after being voted on at the board's Friday meeting. It will require that admissions counselors at all University of Wisconsin campuses look at prospective students beyond their grades and test scores before admitting them to the school.,”

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents created a newly revised admissions policy often referred to as "holistic."

The new policy took effect Friday. It will require that admissions counselors at all University of Wisconsin campuses look beyond prospective students' grades and test scores before admitting them to the school. This approach has been used by many of the UW campuses, including UW-Madison, for several years.

According to UW spokesman David Giroux, academics will always come first in the selection process, but life experiences, leadership qualities, special talents, military status and race and ethnicity will also be factors.

Contrary to recent media coverage, the policy's reference to race and ethnicity, which has been in effect since 1972, is not changing.

The difference is that unqualified students used to be admitted as exceptions because of their race or veteran status. The new policy does not allow that.

"Public officials have made wild claims about unqualified minorities being admitted and I think that's an insult," Giroux said.

Giroux said the majority of the campuses will have to make minimal changes. UW-Madison's policies will not change at all.

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