Politicians And Billionaires Caught Snaking Dumb Kids Into University Of Texas
Dozens of highly powerful Texan politicians and millionaires helped under-qualified students gain admittance into the University of Texas at Austin by writing letters to university officials.
While this type of thing happens everywhere, UT is catching some flack after The Dallas Morning News obtained records showing that over 250 letters were written on behalf of 73 students with high school GPAs below the 2.9 mark.
An investigation into the questionable UT admission process known as the Kroll report, conducted between 2009 and 2012, brought the aforementioned letters to the surface. In wake of the investigation, UT President Bill Powers stepped down from his position in June.
From The Dallas Morning News:
Among those who wrote directly to then-President Bill Powers and then-Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, bypassing the admissions office, were famed golfer and UT grad Ben Crenshaw, former UT regent Scott Craven, Austin lawyer Roy Minton and Sens. Kevin Eltife and Carlos Uresti, records obtained by The Dallas Morning News show.
Dozens of other famous UT alumni also helped tip the scales. They include House Speaker Joe Straus, former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former regents Jess Hay and Thomas Hicks, former chairman of the state University Coordinating Board Larry Temple and former UT quarterback Randy McEachern.
The letters often cite that the applicants were the children of family friends.
Letters of recommendation also came in from Tom Hicks (former owner of the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars) vouching for a kid whose grandparents “have been longtime and generous supporters of UT-Austin.” Advertising exec Roy Spence, whose firm came up with the wildly creative UT logo “We’re Texas,” threw a letter in there, too.
Check out this note penned by a dude named W.A. “Tex” Moncrief, a billionaire oil tycoon in Texas who’s donated tens of millions to the school:
Much like the measurements from the tip of the head to the base of the shaft, when you’ve got heaps of money, the numbers of a loosely-connected, underachieving high schooler’s GPA are automatically and drastically increased.
Read the rest of the letters below:
Grades mean next to shit when you’ve got connections. .
[via The Dallas Morning News]
I know this happens everywhere but fuck those kids, I worked my ass off to get into a good school
10 years ago at 8:01 pmHaving mediocre grades, but excellent connections. TFM
10 years ago at 8:02 pmI just want to discuss the fraternity episode of workaholics but there are no forums
10 years ago at 9:27 pmA trained monkey could get a 2.9 in highschool
10 years ago at 9:31 pmTelling the kid he can room with his sister. TinbredM.
10 years ago at 9:36 pmDon’t complain about either you have connections or learn to work smart and work hard to get places in life
10 years ago at 9:40 pmYou guys have to be kidding me, if you think for one second that someone receiving a 2.9 in high school deserves to get into UT. If that’s the case then you are one ignorant mother fucker. I couldn’t care less of what connections you have, someone like that doesn’t even belong in a prestigious school like UT. I don’t agree with someone of that stature being admitted even if they have connections. Bringing someone like that would be a disservice to the school, that’s kinda like giving a bid to shitty person just because he’s a legacy. Why would anyone want to let in a dumb student if he can’t even hang with the rest of the student body in regards to academics?
10 years ago at 1:07 amAnother reason why UT is literally the worst. Boomer.
10 years ago at 3:29 amSome schools want kids that will fail classes and switch majors because they get more money from those students. It’s not about who you know, it’s about profit.
10 years ago at 10:14 am