Public Administration ETDs

Publication Date

12-11-1978

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the University of New Mexico law school selection process acted as a barrier to minority admission to the school. A review of the literature pertinent to the study was discussed: minority group access to law school nationally and at UNM; patterns of minority participation in undergraduate and professional education; and efforts to promote minority group participation in professional education. Interviews were conducted with UNM law school admissions committee members and the leaders of the school's minority student organizations. The study concentrated on data for Mexican Americans, American Indians, blacks and nonminorities. National minority and nonminority LSAT scores and UGPAs for a specific year were studied under the assumption that the UNM law school's statistics were similar to those nationally. The 1976 entering class nationally and the 1977 entering class at the UNM law school were the periods of concentration. Figures for the total application pool for these years were presented so that comparisons could be made about the number of minorities and nonminorities who applied to law school and the percentage of minority applicants as a proportion of nonminority applicants. The number of applicants who were offered admission these same years were presented to compare the Yates of acceptance between minority and nonminority applicants. Finally, comparisons were made between actual enrollments of minority and nonminority applicants. The data showed that the proportion rejected with respect to their number that applied to the UNM law school was no larger for minorities than for nonminorities; minorities, in fact, were accepted at a higher rate than nonminorities with respect to their number that applied. However, it was also found that minorities, Chicanos in particular, were still not being admitted to the UNM law school in proportion to their population in the state. The final conclusion drawn from this study was that not enough qualified minority applicants were being accepted and that more must be done to attract a greater number of minority applicants.

Degree Name

Public Administration

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

School of Public Administration

First Committee Member (Chair)

Ferrel Heady

Second Committee Member

Edward Kent Fuge

Third Committee Member

F. Chris Garcia

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

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