Diversity should be a priority for UCLA

When the admissions numbers for this fall were made public, the
results were not surprising. Although the initial statistics offer
a fairly positive picture, the truth behind those numbers shows an
ugly reality.

According to UCLA’s press release on the
admissions rates for this coming academic year, a rather optimistic
yet deceiving description states that, “Along
with academic excellence, the UCLA admitted freshman class reflects
a diverse student population … (for which) the overall percentage
of underrepresented minorities was 14.3.â€

Although the number of students that applied and were admitted
into the University of California increased this past year, its two
leading flagship campuses saw a decrease in the number of
underrepresented students admitted.

The picture of UCLA admissions becomes even more clouded when it
comes to specific underrepresented communities, especially among
Chicano/Latino and black admits.

While there were 1,391 Chicano/Latino students admitted to UCLA,
more than 7,500 applied. Over 32 percent of California residents
are of Chicano/Latino origin, but only 11.5 percent of the admitted
pool came from this community.

The number of black students admitted to UCLA this year
decreased by nearly 18 percent from the previous year. How is it
possible that in a city in which a majority of its population is
made up of blacks and Chicanos/Latinos, the number of students
admitted continues to drop for both communities?

Generally there are two main responses that attempt to explain
the low admittance rates of black students: black students
aren’t applying to UCLA and those who do apply
aren’t qualified. Neither argument stands.

Since 1996, the number of black students applying to UCLA has
actually increased almost every year. Over 2,100 black students,
the highest in four years, applied to UCLA for fall 2006, yet only
230 black students were admitted, one of the lowest numbers in over
seven years.

This number is compounded by the fact that UCLA admitted the
most students in its history this year.

Comprehensive review, which was supposed to aid the university
in looking at all factors in a student’s
education, while taking into account a students’
ability to learn based on the resources available to them and their
personal circumstances, has failed.

Since comprehensive review was implemented five years ago, the
number of students from underrepresented communities continues to
be significantly low, but more importantly the number continues to
decrease. In addition, UCLA has reduced its effort to ensure that
it remains one of the most diverse campuses in the UC system and
the nation.

Instead, it focuses on recruiting more affluent students and
moving away from any attempt to retain and recruit its
underrepresented students. Over the past years, we have seen a
growing trend within the state to eliminate funding for academic
preparation and recruitment programs that play a vital role toward
increasing the number of underrepresented students.

This university prides itself with its diversity but does
nothing to maintain it. The university recognizes that the number
of underrepresented students continues to decrease but has done
nothing to ensure that the numbers change. All of this leaves us
wondering: What kind of message is the university sending to its
residents?

Enough with the rhetoric of concern over the continual decrease
of students of color coming into the university, it is time that
university officials stop talking and start acting.

Despite the stated efforts of UCLA administrators and officials,
UCLA has continued to maintain its status as an elitist institution
that sacrifices ethnic and socio-economic diversity for an elevated
perception of prestige.

James is the African Student Union

chairman and Chavez is the Student Initiated Access
Committee chairwoman.

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