Nerd News: UCLA Illegally Using Race-Based Admissions?

Is there some whistle-blowing going on at UCLA? One of its professors is crying "foul!" over admissions. Blurb:

Is UCLA illegally using race-based affirmative action in admissions?

My friend and co-author Tim Groseclose, a professor of political science at U.C.L.A., thinks so.

Groseclose was a member of U.C.L.A.’s Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Relations With Schools until yesterday [August 28, 2008 -- MM], when he resigned from the committee in a very public way and released an 89-page report documenting what he calls “malfeasance” and an “accompanying cover-up.”

The gist of Groseclose’s allegations is that Proposition 209 prohibits public institutions in California from considering race, sex, or ethnicity, but that U.C.L.A. nonetheless uses such information in admissions decisions.

Nerd scandal? Here is the Groseclose report in PDF format (via the prof's website). Well, I hope Groseclose bought himself some asbestos underwear. He's going to be under a rain of fire from irate administrators and various other angry nerds who don't like what he has to say.

All this does need looking into. Not to prejudice the investigation, but as a long-time nerd, I say: malfeasance, cover-up, and underhanded practices on a campus? Sadly common.