A student whose parents may be inclined to donate money to the University may receive a small advantage when being considered in the admissions process, University officials say.
According to documents obtained by The Cavalier Daily , the College's development office tracks applicants based on how much money their families and friends can contribute to the University.
One document, which was sent to the Office of the President, has a list of "priority" and "regular" admissions prospects.
A 1997 admissions candidate's father was rated 'C,' meaning the development office assessed his potential donation to the University as $1 million to $4.9 million.
The list stated that the father's "inclination to participate in the [Capital] Campaign is low," and that officials in the development office "believe that if [the student] were to attend U.Va. his father would make a significant gift."
Students' parents can be rated 'A' if they potentially can donate $10 million or more or 'B' if they potentially can give $5 million to $9.9 million to the University, Vice President for Development Robert D. Sweeney said.
Development offices determine a potential donors' giving capacity by evaluating 5 percent of the person's total assets or 10 percent of the person's annual income, Sweeney said.
This information is sent to Gordon Burris, special assistant to University President John T. Casteen III, he said.
Burris collects information when "someone not normally part of the admissions process wants the applicant considered or admitted," Casteen said.
This may include recommendations from alumni, legislators and Board of Visitors members.
Burris meets with Dean of Admissions John A. Blackburn each March, and together they review each applicant on Burris' tracking list, Blackburn said.
At this point, the Office of Admissions has made most of its decisions, he said.
"I want to know if it appears this is going to be a significant gift to the University, and fold it into the overall credentials" of an applicant, he added. "If it's going to benefit the institution, there are a few cases where I will actually change the decision."
Blackburn emphasized that there are very few cases in which he would offer admission to someone on the waiting list because of his or her potential to bring funds to the University - and that he would do so only when the student is competitive in other admissions criteria.
But there is no quantitative measure of benefit in these cases, he said, because the Office of Admissions does not use a numeric ratings system.
Recommendations from members of the General Assembly or from other political figures also are important, he added.
"They may not be more important than a teacher recommendation, but it is a factor that we weigh in the consideration of an applicant," Blackburn said.
University spokeswoman Louise Dudley said the purpose of Burris' meeting with Blackburn is to find out in advance whether the students on Burris' list are accepted or denied. Dudley said this is done as a courtesy to people "who have some close relationship with the University."
Sweeney said it is important that the University builds and maintains personal relationships with benefactors.
"What happens with our major benefactors determines clearly our success or failure," he said.
But the development offices never exert pressure on the Office of Admissions to accept a student - Burris is a buffer between the two parties, he added.
"As an officer, I don't want to get involved in the" admissions process, Sweeney said.
Another memo obtained by The Cavalier Daily, sent to the Office of the President by the College's development office, states one prospective student's "father has committed to a six-figure Campaign gift, with an initial payment received at year end. We believe there is great long-term potential, especially if three of their children attended the University."
But David Black, major gifts officer in the College's development office, denied knowledge of any tracking list.
"I know of no list and I have never seen a list like that," Black said. "We have ratings systems, that's all I'm going to say."
Black declined to comment further.
Several other University officials also said they are not aware of any University development offices that track some prospective students based on potential donations to the University.
University Senior Vice President Ernest Ern, Assoc. Dean of Admissions Linda Miller, Board of Visitors members Charles M. Caravati Jr. and William H. Goodwin Jr., and University Historian Raymond Bice all said they have never heard of this practice.
Board members Champ Clark and Henry Valentine II declined to comment.
Some administrators said if such a list existed, it would not play a factor in the admissions process.
"I don't think there's any way to pressure the admissions office because they have enough of a responsibility the way it is with 17,000 to 18,000 applicants," Ern said.
University Rector John P. Ackerly III said the Board usually does not get involved with tracking lists, but said he is aware that the Office of the President sometimes tracks certain applicants, such as when a student is the son or daughter of a state senator.
"I think [potential donations to the University are] fair to be considered [in the admissions process], but to what extent it is considered I don't know," Ackerly said.
Other Development Offices
Tom Connors, Virginia Engineering Foundation vice president for development, said the Engineering School does not track prospective students.
Connors said he is not aware that any department of the University engages in such practices.
"I'm not familiar with lists that would try to figure out how a student is going to do later on," or whether their family may donate money to the University, he said. "We do not have a list, I can promise you."
The School of Architecture does not attach potential donation figures to prospective students or track them in any manner, said Susan Ketron, director of development and alumni relations at the School of Architecture.
Architecture does not consider these factors in their admissions process, Ketron said.
"I can't imagine compromising the standards of the School because of anyone's capacity to give" money, she said.
The development office at the Darden School of Business does not track prospective students and is not involved with admissions, said Steve Oliveira, Darden vice president for development and alumni relations.
Darden's students are usually older, and have worked at least a few years after their undergraduate education, Oliveira said.
"Parental philanthropy is not a major source of support for Darden," he said.
University Athletic Director Terry Holland said he is not aware of any tracking of potential athletes based on how much money they could bring to the University.
"I don't think you can buy your way into the University," Holland said.
The Office of Admissions makes the final admissions decisions, including with athletes, he said.
Faculty Senate Chairman David T. Gies said from the faculty's standpoint, all that matters is qualified students are admitted to the University.
"The admissions office produces a wonderful class of students, so however they do it I'm happy with it," Gies said.
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