A case of discrimination against Chinese applicants (fwd)
Zheng Wang (W-Zheng@BGU.EDU)
Tue, 25 Apr 1995 01:14:27 -0500
>> A Case of Discrimination Against Chinese Students
>>
>> Z. George Mou
>> Assistant Professor
>> Department of Computer Science
>> Brandeis University
>> Waltham, MA 02254
>> mou@cs.brandeis.edu
>> (617) 736-2738
>>
>>
>> -- Do not reprint or use the information without my permission --
>>
>> Background:
>>
>> Brandeis, as a liberal private university, has made the following
>> commitment:
>>
>> ``Brandeis University does not discriminate on the basis on the
>> race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or disability in its
>> program and activities.''
>>
>> which is printed in the brochure sent to all applicants, including
>> those from PRC.
>>
>> Like many graduate programs in sciences in other universities, the
>> Ph.D. program in Computer Science at Brandeis University has been
>> receiving a large number of applications from People's Republic of
>> China (60-70\%).
>>
>> Starting from 1990, it has been observed that PRC applications have
>> been singled out and received very different treatment from those of
>> other parts of the world. The PRC applications have always been put in
>> a separate pile. The files in the PRC files have never been reviewed
>> together with other files, and by in large have been ignored over the
>> years. Many Chinese applicants from other part of the world,
>> including those who are in the United states have often ended up in
>> the PRC pile, and did not get a fair chance either.
>>
>> In March 1994, the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in the
>> Department formally proposed not to review any PRC applications at the
>> departmental faculty meeting. No one, except me, raised any objection.
>> A debate between me and the DGS followed that meeting, and eventually
>> the DGS admitted that was wrong. The PRC files were supposed to be
>> reviewed, but no faculty member made any new selection. I myself
>> selected one PRC student -- the only one directly accepted from PRC
>> over the six years. Based on the number, one can conclude that a
>> Chinese applicant has an acceptance rate that is 70 times smaller than
>> other applicants in the past six years.
>>
>> In March 1995, I observed that Chinese applications, no matter which
>> part of the world they are, are not treated fairly. To verify, I have
>> conducted the following survey of all the applications. The result is
>> astonishing. The numbers show that the unmistakenly Chinese
>> applicants have again been treated completely with a different manner
>> this year.
>>
>> The Department has refused to admit any wrong doing. Do they really
>> think they can defend the numbers?
>>
>> The Survey:
>> -----------
>>
>> There are total 74 applications for the Graduate Program of the
>> Department of Computer Science, Brandeis University. These
>> applications have been treated very differently according to whether
>> the applicant is Chinese. The following data shows
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> * Whether the files have been commented,
>> * How much have they commented,
>> * Number of faculty members made comments,
>> * Positive and/or negative comments,
>> * How many have been selected as ``finalists''
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Chinese & Non-Chinese
>> Total Number 49 25
>> (1) No. of Uncommented 35 4
>> Percentage 71% 16%
>> (2) No. of Commented 14 21
>> Percentage 28% 84%
>> (3) Total Lines of Comments 63 95
>> Comments per applicant 1.28 3.8
>> (4) No. of Faculty Member 22 34
>> (5) Positive Comments 4 21
>> Percentage of applicants 8% 84%
>> percentage of commented 28% 100%
>> (6) Negative Comments 11 2
>> Percentage of applicants 22% 8%
>> Percentage of commented 79% 9%
>> (7) Finalist 1 10
>> Percentage 2% 40%
>>
>> In other words, the data shows in terms of how many, how much, and
>> how the applicantion are reviewed and recommented, the Chinese have been
>> treated very differently.
>>
>> Note:
>>
>> * About (4). The number of faculty members refers to the number
>> of faculty members signed on the applications. One application
>> may have zero, one, or more faculty members signed with the written
>> comments.
>>
>> * About (5) and (6) any positive comments for one application is counted as
>> one positive comments. Similarly, any negative comments is counted
>> as one negative comments. One application can in some cases has
>> both positive and negative comments.
>>
>>
>>
>> Are Chinese applicants much less qualified?
>> ---------------------------------------------
>>
>> To answer this question, I have made survey in terms
>>
>> * GRE Score
>>
>> * Formal (Journal, book, and conferences) publications per
>> every 10 applicants
>>
>> * Education level in terms if the applicants have received
>> Master Degree
>>
>>
>> Chinese Non-Chinese
>> Number 49 25
>>
>> (1) GRE
>> Average Verbal 567.5510 539.5238
>> Average Quantitative 787.3469 733.3333
>> Average Analytical 718.5714 660.9524
>> Average Total 2073.469 1933.810
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> (2) Number of Publications for every 10 applicants
>> 9.59 8
>> (3) Number of applicants who obtained Master Degree
>> 29 5
>> Percentage 59% 20%
>>
>> (4) TOEFL Chinese foreign Students from other countries
>> 622.1522 626.6
>>
>>
>> In other words, the Chinese have significantly better GRE scores,
>> publications, and more advanced degrees. Although the TOEFL score of
>> the Chinese students is lower than that of other forein students, the
>> difference is insignificant (4/600). These numbers do not reflect
>> all the qualificants, but are useful indicators of the qualifications.
>> It is fair to say that there is no clear evidence that Chinese students
>> are less qulified than those from other parts of the world.
>>
>>
>>
>>
----------------- /
| | /-----/
| | | | / /
| | | | -------------
------|------ | | | | |
| | | | -------|-----|--
| | | | | |
| |-----| ------|------
| |
------------------- \ |
\|