Mr Powers has urged lawmakers to amend the law by capping the number of students who can be admitted under the rule at half of a state university's class.

ECONOMIST: Affirmative action

Without this change, Mr Powers says, the proportion of minorities at his university will decline: the top-10% plan yields only about 25% black and Hispanic students, but the university could admit far more if it retained control over the other half of its class.

ECONOMIST: Affirmative action