--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do not believe in quotas. They would…" description: "\"We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal protection for the autonomy of universities in r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/david-willetts-64667_admission_we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-n_287039.png" --- # We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be… ![“We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal protection for the autonomy of universities in running their own admission arrangements.” quote by David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/david-willetts-64667_admission_we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-n_287039.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/david-willetts-64667_admission_we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-n_287039.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/david-willetts-64667_admission_we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-n_287039.png) > “We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal protection for the autonomy of universities in running their own admission arrangements.” [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Quotas are rejected as undesirable and illegal, emphasizing institutional autonomy in admissions. **In simple terms:** Quotas are illegal and unwanted. Key Takeaway Support autonomous admissions policies. Themes education law policy equity Mood analytical policy‑focused Type political critical When to use this quote - university admissions - policy reform - legal challenges - student recruitment Key Concepts higher education governance anti‑discrimination law access to education Questions to Reflect On - How can fairness be ensured without quotas? - What alternative measures promote diversity? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic inequities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrangements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrangements/) [Autonomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autonomy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) ## Related quotes > [A quota for women always amounts to a failure of politics. For me, economics is first and foremost the ability to act freely without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/a-quota-for-women-always-amounts-to-a-failure-of-politics-for-me/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [I don't believe in quotas for quotas sake, but I think companies without any women on their boards should write to their shareholders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karren-brady/i-don-t-believe-in-quotas-for-quotas-sake-but-i-think-companies/) [Karren Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karren-brady/) > [I don't believe in quotas. America was founded on a philosophy of individual rights, not group rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-don-t-believe-in-quotas-america-was-founded-on-a-philosophy-of/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The mutating virus of multiculturalism has escaped its breeding ground in elite universities and is now running rampant across popular culture, entertainment, and politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tancredo/the-mutating-virus-of-multiculturalism-has-escaped-its-breeding/) [Tom Tancredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tancredo/) > [If you still are growing, you go through the archetype of the statesman or stateswoman. You stop asking "What are my quotas?" and stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/if-you-still-are-growing-you-go-through-the-archetype-of-the/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I am not in favour of quotas. Just put the best person into the job. It is not about gender; it is about experience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-ahrendts/i-am-not-in-favour-of-quotas-just-put-the-best-person-into-the-job-it/) [Angela Ahrendts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-ahrendts/) > [I'm not out for quotas. I'm out to attract the best young men and women of our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-amos/i-m-not-out-for-quotas-i-m-out-to-attract-the-best-young-men-and/) [James F. Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-amos/) > [“Statistics can’t measure equal opportunity, just equal results. The government starts with the assumption that if, say, employment rates diverge from population makeup by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sailer/statistics-can-t-measure-equal-opportunity-just-equal-results-the/) [Steve Sailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sailer/) > [If firms were made to hire according to quotas, it might optimize the percentage of women in the industry, but that doesn't necessarily translate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-tans/if-firms-were-made-to-hire-according-to-quotas-it-might-optimize-the/) [Gillian Tans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-tans/) > [“Help the world grow, put her on the road of achievement by contributing your quotas”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ndianabasi-anderson/help-the-world-grow-put-her-on-the-road-of-achievement-by/) Ndianabasi Anderson > [My personal opinion is that, if you're a professional writer, that you do have quotas. So every day I do try to write 800-1,200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/my-personal-opinion-is-that-if-you-re-a-professional-writer-that-you/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [Affirmative action based on quotas is wrong - wrong because it is antithetical to the genius of the American idea: individual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/affirmative-action-based-on-quotas-is-wrong-wrong-because-it-is/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [We believe that visa quotas should be lifted and people should visit anywhere they wish freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/we-believe-that-visa-quotas-should-be-lifted-and-people-should-visit/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [Race and gender quotas, whether in publishing, the media, or scientific research labs, are becoming more extreme and more ineluctable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/race-and-gender-quotas-whether-in-publishing-the-media-or-scientific/) [Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/) > [I'm not a believer that you should set quotas for these things, because I think what happens is no matter how qualified the woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-clark/i-m-not-a-believer-that-you-should-set-quotas-for-these-things/) [Christy Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-clark/) ## More by David Willetts > [My challenge as university minister is about getting right balance of teaching and research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/my-challenge-as-university-minister-is-about-getting-right-balance-of/) [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) > [Looking at scientific inquiry, next paradigm will be based on very large datasets. Scientists are in the lead in handling very large datasets -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/looking-at-scientific-inquiry-next-paradigm-will-be-based-on-very/) [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) > [Roger Scruton is one of our great men of speculation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/roger-scruton-is-one-of-our-great-men-of-speculation/) [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) > [The DSA scheme has not been reviewed for 25 years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/the-dsa-scheme-has-not-been-reviewed-for-25-years/) [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) [Explore all 5 David Willetts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) ## More Admission quotes > [I wonder how long it would take him to realize I'm right as sin - it's the rest of the world that's wrong. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/i-wonder-how-long-it-would-take-him-to-realize-i-m-right-as-sin-it-s/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [In Hollywood, not to have an analyst is virtually an admission of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-vanderbilt/in-hollywood-not-to-have-an-analyst-is-virtually-an-admission-of/) [Amy Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-vanderbilt/) > [Pride is an admission of weakness; it secretly fears all competition and dreads all rivals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/pride-is-an-admission-of-weakness-it-secretly-fears-all-competition/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Do you trust me? The question is usually asked before an admission that such trust is misplaced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-watson/do-you-trust-me-the-question-is-usually-asked-before-an-admission/) [S.J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-watson/) > [Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/strong-men-don-t-compromise-it-is-said-and-principles-should-never-be/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Silly ideas, worth the admission price in smiles, but they're true. Is high-energy physics interesting because it's true or because it's crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/silly-ideas-worth-the-admission-price-in-smiles-but-they-re-true-is/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [He's the kind of player that is worth the price of admission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-feaster/he-s-the-kind-of-player-that-is-worth-the-price-of-admission/) Jay Feaster > [However, I had a chance encounter with an admissions officer of Stevens Institute of Technology, who so impressed me by his erudition and enthusiasm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-reines/however-i-had-a-chance-encounter-with-an-admissions-officer-of/) [Frederick Reines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-reines/) > [African American children can't be educationally disadvantaged for 12 years and then experience a miracle cure when it comes time for admission into college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaka-fattah/african-american-children-can-t-be-educationally-disadvantaged-for-12/) [Chaka Fattah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaka-fattah/) > [The interval allowed was only five minutes, at the end of which I resumed the lecture; but so refreshing was the effects of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-combe/the-interval-allowed-was-only-five-minutes-at-the-end-of-which-i/) [George Combe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-combe/) > [Look around. Take the tour. Fear hangs on the wall and shame sometimes. Emotional dislocation too. But I am brave in my admission. Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-grimes/look-around-take-the-tour-fear-hangs-on-the-wall-and-shame-sometimes/) [Nikki Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-grimes/) > [We hear much nowadays as to the speculative ideas of men concerning the condition beyond the grave; but the admission that there is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-talmage/we-hear-much-nowadays-as-to-the-speculative-ideas-of-men-concerning/) [James E. Talmage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-talmage/) > [A full and candid admission of one's mistakes should make proof against its repetition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-full-and-candid-admission-of-one-s-mistakes-should-make-proof/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In poor environment, I find great inspiration. Many of the men and women whom I admire as artists, the things they write, the songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/in-poor-environment-i-find-great-inspiration-many-of-the-men-and/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I like to pretend that I'm a tough guy. It's kind of an admission of defeat if I have to ask for help -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-louise-parker/i-like-to-pretend-that-i-m-a-tough-guy-it-s-kind-of-an-admission-of/) [Mary-Louise Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-louise-parker/) Browse all 242 Admission quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal protection for the autonomy of universities in running their own admission arrangements.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Willetts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-not-only-be-undesirable-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Admission" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-not-only-be-undesirable-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/david-willetts-64667_admission_we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-n_287039.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/david-willetts-64667_admission_we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-n_287039.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/david-willetts-64667_admission_we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-n_287039.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal…” — David Willetts", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Willetts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We do not believe in quotas....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-not-only-be-undesirable-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-not-only-be-undesirable-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```