Reports

Chancellor's Response to
Diversity Council Recommendations Concerning Student Diversity

At the end of Fall Quarter 1999, the Diversity Council sent to the Chancellor a set of recommendations for enhancing the diversity of UCSD's student body. These recommendations are listed below by number in regular type. The Chancellor's response, sent to the Council on February 15, 2000, is printed below in italics. Further commentary and updates on implementation (as of April 15, 2000) are provided in blue.

Admissions

Short Range

1. The Chancellor should request that the Academic Senate consider a two-year term for the chair of the Senate Admissions Committee, effective 2000-2001.
   Agree. I will discuss this issue with the Chair of the Academic Senate and ask him to bring to the appropriate Senate bodies the proposal that the chair of the Senate Admissions Committee serve a two-year term effective academic year 2000-2001. I would note that on February 22, the Representative Assembly approved a change to its bylaws in order to insure continuity on the Admissions Committee. The change stipulates that the UCSD representative to BOARS serve at least three years and remain on the UCSD Admissions Committee during those three years.
   
   
2. The Chancellor should request that the Senate Admissions Committee consider a 50/50 split of the admission groups A and B, effective 2000-2001.
   Agree. This formula is being implemented beginning with fall 2000 admissions cycle.
   Commentary: We will not know if this year's admissions cycle, which resulted in a higher number of offers of admission to underrepresented students, will lead to a more diverse freshman class in Fall 2000 until we know which students have accepted our admissions offer.
   
   
3. The Chancellor and Student Affairs VC should research UCLA, UCB, and other institutions to identify elements of a more equitable admissions process, including the implementation of supplemental criteria that contribute to a diverse student body, and more staff to read admissions applications. Such elements identified should be implemented effective 2001-2002.
   Agree. Assistant Vice Chancellor Backer and Director Brown have met with and continue to collaborate with the admission offices at UCLA, UC Berkeley, and other UC campuses in order to consider "best practices" including supplemental criteria that contribute to a diverse student body. In addition, counselors from the San Diego Unified School District are being utilized in the reading of admissions applications for fall 2000. We hope that this diverse group will assist us in achieving our goal of admitting a more diverse student body.
   Commentary: Consultation with admissions offices at other UC campuses will continue as the results of the Fall 2000 admission cycle are analyzed and I expect effective new practices to be adopted at UCSD as appropriate. The use of school counselors in reading applications will be assessed, and if judged to be effective, will continue as part of the fall 2001 admissions cycle.
   
   
4. The UCSD Office of Research and Student Information should monitor the academic progress of students admitted to UCSD under the 4% eligibility plan and report its findings to the Diversity Council annually.
   Agree. Monitoring of the students admitted under the 4% eligibility plan is already underway. Vice Chancellor Watson can provide the data to the Council, as it becomes available.
   Commentary: I have asked that these data be made available on an annual basis. It is my understanding that the Monitoring Subcommittee of the Diversity Council will request and analyze the information on the progress and retention rates of these students.

Long Range

1. The Chancellor and Student Affairs VC should work with the two UCSD representatives to BOARS (Barbara Sawrey and Margaret Marshall) for reforms in the admission process, including minimizing the weight on SAT tests and the elimination of inflated grade points for AP courses. The issue of SAT tests is currently a much-debated topic, both nationally and within the University of California. Both Vice Chancellor Watson and I are involved in these discussions and will continue to discuss this matter with our BOARS representatives. UCSD has already deflated the weight of AP courses in our admissions process.
   Commentary: Although some aspects of admissions evaluation procedures are determined at the system-wide level by BOARS, others are determined locally, and here UCSD has made some significant reforms along the lines suggested in this recommendation. One change, mentioned above, is making a 50-50 split between groups A and B. Another change limits the number of AP or honors courses for which inflated grade points can be credited. I will continue to press for finding additional ways of assessing the academic potential of applicants both at the system-wide and the local level that will result in a more diverse student body.
   
   
2. The Chancellor should request that the UC Regents assess their newly implemented 4% eligibility plan to determine whether the UC system has attained its 12.5% goal as defined in the California Master Plan for Higher Education.
   Included in the development of the 4% Eligibility Plan was an assessment component. Data will be made available to the campuses, as it becomes available.
   Commentary: UCOP has set up a website that provides the results of the assessment as it becomes available. UC's performance in relation to its responsibilities under the California Master Plan is constantly being monitored. Results are provided not only to the UC Regents, but to the California legislature.
   
   
   • Scholarships for Yield Enhancement
     1. UCSD's development office should seek to increase overall scholarship amounts to at least $2 million annually for allocation to new UCSD students in Fall 2001.
        Agree. UCSD will set a target to increase overall scholarship amounts to at least $2 million annually for allocation to new UCSD students in Fall 2001. The development office will include this effort in its development plan.
        Commentary: In my 10-Point Diversity Action Plan I made a commitment to triple UCSD's current scholarship base with a goal of reaching $1 million in annual undergraduate scholarships by 2002. We are almost there two years ahead of schedule, with $976,768 in undergraduate scholarships this year, and we hope to double that amount next year. The Development Office and Student Affairs have made scholarship support a top priority.
        
        
     2. UCSD's development office should assign top priority to (1) recruiting donors for existing scholarships for underrepresented students; and (2) developing new scholarships (and donors) for students who contribute significantly to diversity at UCSD. These (and other) strategies should support a goal to increase scholarship amounts to underreprsented students by 50% annually.
        Agree. The development office considers student scholarship support a top priority. The Development Office will identify donors and scholarship programs to support underrepresented students by 50% for each of the next three years. At the end of three years we will assess the impact of the scholarship program on diversity and set appropriate new goals.
        Commentary: The development office is working with donors and outside award agencies, such as the San Diego Foundation, who understand the need to provide scholarship support for underrepresented students.
        
        
     3. UCSD should conduct research on national scholarships available to students from underrepresented groups and others by Fall 2000. In addition, it should establish a database of this information which students can access via a workstation in the Student Financial Services Office as well as the UCSD websites.
        Agree. The UCSD Financial Aid Office is working on establishing a database that will be accessible to students. In addition, we will include links to national scholarship information on our website. These efforts will be completed in the course of the next academic year.
     
     
     
   • Campus Climate and Retention of Undergraduate Students
     
     1. Funding for Undergraduate Student Organizations. The Chancellor should raise new funds and/or allocate existing funds to ensure the effective implementation of the AASU and MECHA high school conferences and recognition ceremonies, respectively.
        Agree: Beginning with the 1999-2000 academic year, $10,000 is being provided on an annual basis to SOLO for use by the three underrepresented student organizations (MECHA, AASU and Native American).
        Commentary: It is my understanding that with this addition, the funds available through SOLO have been adequate to cover requests for funds to support student-initiated outreach and recognition activities for underrepresented students groups during this academic year. All requests for funding except one ineligible proposal have been funded.
        
        
     2. Funding for OASIS. This recommendation is to change the allocation of temporary funds ($400,000) to permanent funds and that additional permanent funds be allocated to OASIS beginning in fiscal year 2000-2001 (with reasonable increases for inflation thereafter).
        Response: I have discussed this recommendation with Vice Chancellor Watson. Upon review of available responses, no permanent unallocated funds could be identified. The OASIS Program continues to be valuable program and resource for UCSD students. The use of "temporary" funds for this program in no way implies that this program is regarded as temporary. Student Affairs has for more than two decades initiated, supported, and funded affirmative action programs that increase the retention and academic advancement of underrepresented students and plans to continue to do so. Further, Vice Chancellor Watson has emphasized his intentions to increase funding for programs that significantly increase the grades and graduate/professional school admissions tests scores of underrepresented UCSD students. We continue to be committed to programs that help us reach our institutional goals of having a diverse student body.
        Commentary: The total budget for OASIS has increased by 41% over the past four years, a clear demonstration of UCSD's commitment to a program that continues to be a valuable resource for students. A significant proportion (30-50%) of the budgets of all campus units and departments consists of temporary funds because the better part of the university's revenue is temporary.
        
        
     3. Funding for Colleges. In order to facilitate a more positive campus climate and the individual adjustment of SAA students, this recommendation is to allocate $10,000 to each college ($5,000 for direct student services and $5,000 for diversity programming) beginning in fiscal year 2000-2001 (with reasonable increases for inflation thereafter).
        I have discussed this recommendation with both Sr. Vice Chancellor Chandler and Vice Chancellor Watson. Each will take this recommendation under further consideration during the budget review process that will be carried out this spring.
        Commentary: Further details about what services are not being provided at current levels of funding and how these services might improve the retention and academic advancement of underrepresented students will be necessary to justify the recommended allocation during the budget review process.