Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) and Senator Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks) are calling on California’s public university systems to reconsider their admissions policies and reinstate SAT and ACT requirements, citing concerns raised by thousands of University of California faculty members about student preparedness and academic success.
In a letter to University of California President James B. Milliken, UC Board of Regents Chair Maria Anguiano, and UC Academic Senate Chair Ahmet Palazoglu, Senators Ochoa Bogh and Niello expressed support for more than 3,000 UC professors across 250 disciplines, including five Nobel Laureates, who have called for SAT and ACT scores to once again be considered in undergraduate admissions.
“Students entering the University of California are not prepared for the rigorous material and academia that result in student success,” said Senator Ochoa Bogh. “Data reflect that school proficiency rates have decreased after the admissions tests requirement was eliminated.”
Both Senators are urging the University of California and California State University systems to reconsider their decisions and reinstate SAT and ACT mathematics requirements for all admissions, not only for students pursuing STEM majors.
The Senators also called on university leaders to meet directly with professors who have raised concerns and give them greater opportunities to participate in discussions about the path forward.
“The data raises serious concerns about whether the University of California’s current admissions policies are accurately measuring college readiness. When students arrive on campus needing significant remediation in math, writing, and literacy, we owe it to them to ask whether the system is setting them up for success,” said Senator Niello. “We are calling on the UC Regents to reinstate the SAT or ACT as an objective measure that can help identify academic preparedness and ensure students have the foundation they need to succeed at the University of California.”
A report from the UC San Diego Senate–Administration Workgroup on Admissions reveals a concerning trend: over the past five years, the number of students whose mathematics skills fall below high school level has increased nearly thirtyfold. Alarmingly, 70% of those underprepared students are performing below middle-school mathematics levels, meaning below the level typically expected by eighth grade, and that this group represents roughly one in twelve members of the incoming cohort.
Faculty members have also raised concerns about severe high-school grade inflation. Their letter points to the UC Academic Senate’s 2020 Standardized Testing Task Force report, which warned that eliminating standardized tests would remove an important predictor of college success and make the effects of grade inflation more difficult to detect. The faculty argue that, with current admissions metrics relying heavily on GPA and essays, a common external measure such as the SAT or ACT can help provide a clearer assessment of academic readiness.
In their letter, Senators Ochoa Bogh and Niello emphasized that reinstating admissions requirements will require significant planning. They urged the UC Board of Regents to move quickly, develop an expedited timeline, and provide more information about how it intends to proceed.
Senator Ochoa Bogh plans to introduce legislation addressing this issue when the legislature reconvenes.
Click here to download and read full letter.