The program will send those students to other system universities during their freshmen year because of UT-Austin’s overflowing enrollment, which officials there say they want to reduce by about 3,000. Under the one-year program, students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average and complete 30 hours here. They will then be given the option to remain at the university or transfer to UT-Austin.

UT-Austin President Larry Faulkner said UTA will be only one of many academic components that will experience increased enrollment. He said the new program will apply to all interested component schools.

“A lot of publicity had been with Arlington,” he said. “But our view all along is we would set up a template with Arlington and offer it to other system schools.”

He said the program will go through an extensive evaluation after three years.

In the past, UT-Austin allowed freshmen who didn’t meet admissions requirements to enroll there on a provisional basis during the summer to establish eligibility for regular admission in the fall. Faulkner said there has been overwhelming interest in the summer provisional program.  
Enrollment exceeding 51,000 and a 40 percent increase in applicants prompted the program, he said. 

“Our enrollments are uncontrolled,” he said. “We having rising applicant pressure. We are trading regular competitive admissions with provisional admissions.”

The goal is to decrease UT-Austin’s enrollment to 48,000, he said.

University President Robert Witt said the program will entice provisional students to remain here. 
“I believe of the students who maintain the 3.0, the majority will go to Austin, but a large percentage will remain at Arlington,” he said. “The people who come here in order to get into Austin will be pleased with our campus.”

He also said he was sure enrollment here will increase but there is no way to tell by how much.  
UT-Austin Student Congress President Darron Roberts said he doesn’t agree with the program but believes it is well-meaning. He addressed the regents before the vote, saying that the UT-Austin Student Congress concluded students will be disadvantaged under the program.

“It is our feeling that the program doesn’t allow the university to have a strong control over the admissions process,” he said. “We do not know how many students will go to UT-Arlington or if students will be successful there.”

Malik Angum, a UT-Austin tutorial service worker, also addressed the regents, saying approval of the program would deny students the opportunity to establish roots at a higher quality college.

“We all know there are a lot of differences between UTA and UT-Austin,” she said. “I know a lot of parents do not want to send their students to UTA.”

Provost George Wright said after the meeting that he disagreed with Agnum’s statements and that UTA will provide the background needed for students to attend the flagship university.

“She suggested there was a difference between the quality of education,” he said. “We know we can produce a high quality of education, and some people will find these institutions appealing.”

In other business, the regents approved allocating $1.7 million from permanent university funds for stairwell construction in Carlisle Hall. They also approved additional land for the university at 120 West Second St., which is south of the Arlington Hall parking lots, and funds for improvements to the Life Sciences Building. 

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