The University of Virginia is dismissing claims that it keeps track of applications from students related to wealthy donors or influential people in the Commonwealth and gives them preference for admission. Sandy Hausman has that story.
Charges of improper influence come from Richmond journalist and author Jeff Thomas. He submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for documents that showed changes in application status for people whose relatives gave money to UVA.
“The documents show that for certain levels of money their admissions chances were significantly improved,” he says.
One file noted “$500,000” and mentioned that the applicant’s mother was best friends and a sorority sister to someone whose name had been redacted. The document showed that student went from being rejected to being placed on the waiting list.
Thomas, who wrote a book called Virginia Politics and Government in a New Century: The Price of Power says these practices must stop.
“There are three entities that can end it: the president of the University, the board of visitors or the General Assembly," he explains. " Secondly, we need an apology for deceiving us for at least the last decade.”
A spokesman for UV A did not respond to our request for an interview but shared a written statement explaining that notes are made by the advancement office, which deals with donors, but they are not shared with admissions. He said such practices are not unique to UVA and can be found at similar institutions.
You can see the full documents here.