UC witnesses biggest freshman class ever
The University of California has its biggest freshman class
ever, but the number of underrepresented minorities has declined
slightly, officials said Tuesday.
UC officials said they don’t have enough data to determine if
that is a reflection of the 1995 decision by the UC Board of
Regents to stop using race or gender as factors in hiring,
contracting and admissions.
Overall enrollment for Fall 1996 totalled 166,718, up 1.8
percent from Fall 1995, when 163,704 students attended.
Underrepresented students  African Americans, Latinos and
American Indians  made up 19 percent of the freshman class,
down from 21 percent last year. UC’s race-blind admissions are
scheduled to affect students applying this fall to enter in Fall
1998. Some had predicted the policies would have a chilling affect
on applications before they took effect.
Admissions Director Carla Ferri said she has heard from
recruiters that some minorities have the impression (which she
believes is mistaken) that UC "will not be a welcoming
institution."
Comparing 1997 to 1995, applications from African-American
students had decreased by 261 students, or 9.9 percent; American
Indian applications were down 151, or 23.4 percent; Chicano
applications were down 556, or 8.3 percent; and Latino applications
were down 222, or 8.7 percent.
Applications from Asian Americans were up 894 students, or 6.2
percent, and applications from whites were up about 5 percent.
Although enrollment of underrepresented students was down
overall, the Berkeley, San Diego and Santa Barbara campuses had
increases among these students.
For instance, Chicano applications at UC Berkeley were up 9.3
percent from 1995-97.
UC President Richard Atkinson said in a statement he was pleased
by the enrollment increase but concerned about the decline among
underrepresented students.
"We are hopeful that our effort to expand university outreach to
better prepare all California students for university study will
reverse this decline,” Atkinson said.
A total of 23,189 California freshmen enrolled for classes in
Fall 1996, up 5.4 percent  or 1,190 students  from Fall
1995, the previous record for largest freshman class.
UC received 46,682 applications from California high school
seniors for Fall 1997. That was a 1.6 percent increase, 743
students, from the year before, also a record-setter.
Nearly 19 percent (8,762) of the Fall 1997 applications from
California high school seniors came from underrepresented students.
That was a decrease of 453, or 5 percent.
Out-of-state applications were up 1,391, or 25 percent. But
California community college students submitted 535 fewer transfer
applications to UC this year, down 4.1 percent from last year for a
two-year decrease of 8.6 percent.
Although most campuses experienced a growth in overall
enrollment, San Diego had a 1.1 percent decline.
The largest percentage increases were at Davis and Irvine Â
both 3.6 percent  and Santa Cruz, 2.9 percent.
Health club opens today at new location
L.A. Fitness will have its first of two grand openings at 10
a.m. today at its new location on 10921 Wilshire Blvd.
For the past six months, the gym has been at 10914 Kinross Ave.
while the new gym was being renovated. Though violating the
Westwood Village Specific Plan by having a gym in the village, the
gym was allowed to stay because their residence on Kinross was only
temporary. The new gym actually opened for business last Saturday.
The second grand opening will take place when both floors are
available for use in March.
Mayor Richard Riordan will be in attendance for the opening as
the gym is part of his goal of "building up Los Angeles."
The gym is planning to open two more gyms in the Los Angeles
area, providing jobs for 200 people. The Westwood gym has offered
employment for 80 individuals.
Compiled from Daily Bruin staff and wire reports