The University of California system has put standardized testing back in focus as its academic leaders reassess admissions policy over the coming year, amid renewed faculty pressure to restore some test requirements. The UC Board of Regents is expected to receive recommendations from faculty leaders evaluating the role of SAT and ACT scores in predicting student readiness. UC previously eliminated systemwide standardized testing requirements in 2020, when the pandemic disrupted access to testing and the sector moved toward test-optional admissions. Since then, debate has intensified across selective public systems over whether removing tests improved equity, student fit, and outcomes. The latest UC development sets up a governance showdown over how UC defines “readiness” and the extent to which admissions decisions should rely on test scores versus academic coursework and other measures.