University Board of Trustees Chairman Niranjan Shah read the following statement regarding the admissions hearings at the beginning of Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting at the University’s Chicago campus.

“Before anything else today, we-the University’s Board of

Trustees and Administration leadership, as a group and with full

agreement-have prepared a statement regarding the admissions problem

currently facing our University.

The University’s Board of Trustees and administrators are deeply

concerned about this problem. We are proud to serve this great

University and the people of Illinois who entrust its care to us. We

are committed to ending any misuse of the admissions process-whether it

is intentional or unintentional-wherever it may exist or from whomever

it may emanate, including the University Board of Trustees.

We want to assure everyone that we are working diligently to correct the

problem. Publicly, we are fully cooperating with the Admissions Review

Commission appointed by Governor Quinn and chaired by Judge Mikva. In

addition to thousands of pages of documents, we have provided the

Commission with University officials for public testimony and

interviews. At the same time, internally we are conducting our own

extensive review of the University’s admissions policies and procedures

and examining best practices we can adopt to make our system exemplary.

Our work is guided by three principles: fairness to applicants; equality

of access; and transparency in process.

Soon we will be reporting those results of our internal examination and

anticipated actions to the Admissions Review Commission. In the

meantime, we ask for the patience and support of everyone who has a

stake in this University as we work through a focused and deliberative

process that will help us create an admissions system that is

transparent, free of undue influence and fair.

This public crisis will pass. But our commitment to this University and

to restoring confidence in our admissions system will not waver. Be

assured that our commitment is permanent and absolute.”