Officials and press releases from across the University of
California have been proclaiming success in increasing minority
admissions to the university for the fall class of 2005.
Since last year, the amount of underrepresented minority
students admitted to the UC has increased, and these students make
up a slightly higher percentage.
But the change is so small that some say it is no more than a
common year-to-year fluctuation.
Speaking of what she sees as improvements in admissions for
2005, Susan Wilbur, director of undergraduate admissions for the
UC, said in an April 19 conference call that one of the areas with
the most notable gains was in admitting and enrolling
underrepresented minorities.
These gains, in real terms, mean that almost 300 more minority
students were accepted to UCLA this year than last, with 1,738
underrepresented minorities offered a spot.
“In terms of diversity, there’s an increase in all
ethnic groups,” said Vu Tran, director of admissions at
UCLA.
At first glance, this number may seem like an accomplishment
““ but within the context of overall admissions to UCLA, it
seems less impressive.
A few hundred more underrepresented minority students were
admitted compared to last year, but this achievement comes from a
class that grew by a few thousand.
So in absolute numbers, the change has been sizeable, but in
terms of the percentage of minority students admitted, the increase
from last year was much smaller.
The admitted class for 2005 was made up of 15.7 percent
underrepresented minorities, up from 14.9 percent in fall 2004
““ an increase of just under one percent.
But a better point of reference for comparing admissions
statistics is the fall 2003 class, Wilbur said, because the budget
constraints required a cut in admissions that made last year an
aberration.
The year before, 16.1 percent of the admits were minority
students.
These percentage shifts ““ up a few points one year and
down a few the next ““ may be part of ordinary fluctuations
and not indicative of any long-term trends.
“In the long term, (it’s) really a fraction of a
percent,” Tran said. “The change in the percentage is
very insignificant, so I think that it’s a normal
change.”
Though this small increase may not be a huge success, “at
least (it’s) toward the right direction because there is no
decline. … At least the raw number has been increased,”
Tran said.
But for others, an increase of less than one percent is
meaningless.
“I think it’s the same as if we had no
increase,” said Allende Palma/Saracho, president of the
Undergraduate Students Association Council.
“It’s something we shouldn’t be cheering
about. … It’s definitely something we shouldn’t be
satisfied with.”
And though the university, as well as UC students, are concerned
with increasing the amount of minority students who are able to
attend UCLA and drawing a student body that is reflective of the
Los Angeles community, officials say they often find their hands
tied by Proposition 209.
Under California law, the university cannot make any use of
ethnicity, either in admissions or in outreach programs, said
Soncia Lilly, assistant vice chancellor of student affairs.
The university initiates outreach programs based on student
income level to help students become university-eligible, which
Lilly said has been successful ““ but this action is as far as
the UC can go.