Thursday, February 12, 1998
Graduate students look to diversify schools
Impact of Prop. 209 on school policies, admissions addressed
By Stefanie Wong
Daily Bruin Staff
Until now, most of the plans to deflect the impact of
Proposition 209 on admissions has focused primarily on
undergraduate education.
However, the presumed decrease in diversity because of
Proposition 209 has already affected graduate admissions.
On affirmative action and outreach, there is "usually an
undergraduate view, and we wanted a graduate view of the matter,"
said Graduate Student Association (GSA) President Andrew
Westall.
GSA was interested in knowing about fellowships, graduate school
admissions, and outreach and recruitment programs.
Tuesday’s GSA and Student Affairs breakfast addressed the impact
that Proposition 209 and UC Regents’ Items SP-1 and SP-2 will have
on graduate school policies and admissions.
One immediate change that has occurred because of Proposition
209 is the changing of graduate fellowship eligibility
requirements. Previously, certain fellowships were restricted to
specific ethnicities and women, but this is now illegal under
Proposition 209.
"Now we simply say that we hope that these fellowships will
contribute to conscious efforts to diversify the graduate student
population," said Jim Turner, assistant vice chancellor of graduate
programs.
Preference will be given to students who have overcome
significant obstacles in their own life experiences or whose
research contributes to a better understanding of diversity
issues.
The coming halt of affirmative action in undergraduate
admissions has prompted the creation of programs and increases in
funding for outreach and recruitment. Similar programs are in the
works for UCLA graduate and professional schools.
Many of these new programs are designed to bridge the gaps
between undergraduate and graduate student, because of Proposition
209’s potential impact on the diversity of the undergraduate
population. Administrators believe lower diversity in undergraduate
students affect on the composition of the graduate populations. A
large number of graduate students at UCLA received their
undergraduate education at one of the nine UC campuses.
"(The other campuses) are a major source of our graduate
students and if the UCs have fewer women and underrepresented
minorities … this will severely impact those who will be applying
to graduate school," Turner added.
Departments, faculty and students are being encouraged to be
more competitive and proactive when recruiting graduate
students.
"We would like to encourage faculty and/or graduate students to
start going out and developing their own personal networks," Turner
said.
Targeted recruitment of underrepresented minorities and women is
also being encouraged by the administration.
"The (UC Office of the President) has confirmed that under 209
there can still be targeted recruitment," said Winston Doby, vice
chancellor of Student Affairs.
An example of this is going to universities that have student
bodies historically composed of one group and informing them about
UCLA’s programs and opportunities. Another is to keep contact with
graduate students who have moved on to teaching at other
institutions, and use them as a source for referring their own
undergraduate students to UCLA.
Recruitment and outreach money may also be increased for
departments who have developed successful recruitment and outreach
programs. Graduate students are being encouraged to become more
actively involved with their departments and their goals and
objectives towards achieving diversity.
"Graduate students can be the most successful recruiters of
future graduate students," Turner said.