July 29 (UPI) — The University of California, Irvine rescinded acceptances from hundreds of students a few months before the start of the school’s fall term.
A total of 499 students had their offers of admission to UC Irvine rescinded, campus spokesman Tom Vasich told the Los Angeles Times, after the admissions office took more strict measures in reviewing requirements “as a result of more students accepted admissions to UCI than it expected.”
About 7,100 of the 31,103 prospective freshmen offered admission to the university chose to attend — 850 more than UC Irvine’s planned freshman class of 6,250.
Brent Yunek, the university’s associate vice chancellor of enrollment services, said UC Irvine had only rescinded acceptances of students who failed to meet conditions of their admissions contracts.
The contract requires students receive a high school diploma, maintain a weighted 3.0 senior-year grade-point average with no Ds or Fs in UC-approved courses and submit all official high school and college transcripts and test scores by proper deadlines.
Associated Students of the University of California, Irvine, a student government organization, released a statement citing testimonies from applicants who said their acceptances were revoked even though they had followed the guidelines of the admissions contract.
“Some students have claimed that they sent their transcripts way before the July 1st deadline [sometimes even in person], yet the admissions office system does not have it on file,” the ASCUI said. “Others have a completely clean file, with check marks across the board, and have been rescinded regardless and without explanation. Some staff members have suggested that it was due to a non-specific reason/violation of your contract and to submit an appeal.”
The organization encouraged students to appeal their admission, and issued several demands toward the university, including requesting information about the the number of affected students, an apology from the Yunek, repayment of fees to those whose acceptance was revoked and a special transfer agreement for students who choose to attend a community college.
On Friday the vice chancellor of student affairs, Thomas A. Parham, wrote a letter apologizing to the affected students.
“I acknowledge we took a harder line on the terms and conditions this year and we could have managed that process with greater care, sensitivity and clarity about available options,” he said. “For those who felt ignored or mistreated I sincerely apologize.”
Yunek said 63 of 295 students who appealed had their acceptances reinstated, as the university works to correct the cancellations.
“In any case where we’ve identified administrative errors on our part, we’re correcting them,” he said. “The guiding principle we’re using now s that we’re trying not to hold students accountable for situations out of their control.”
