Think tank alleges racial discrimination in University of Oklahoma admissions

In a statement, Bishop said the university uses outreach and recruiting practices, rather than racial preferences, to promote campus diversity.

“It is unfortunate that the university was not contacted or provided an opportunity to participate in the (center's) study,” she said. “Had the university been contacted, we might have been able to clarify items that seem to be misunderstood by those who prepared the report.”

The use of racial preferences in college admissions has been the subject of scrutiny following a case that came before the U.S. Supreme Court this month. The suit was brought by a Texas woman who claimed she was denied admittance into the University of Texas because she is white.

Abigail Noel Fisher, a graduate of Steven F. Foster High School in Sugar Land, Texas, challenged the state university's admissions policy after she was rejected by the school in 2008. UT guarantees admission to students in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, but Fisher's 3.59 GPA was not enough to make the grade.

UT admits a certain number of other students, for whom race, leadership experience, socioeconomic status and other factors can provide an admissions advantage.