Discussion at the UC Board of Regents meeting Wednesday focused
largely on support for increased funding of academic preparation
programs in an attempt to increase student diversity throughout the
University of California system.
The regents debated the approval of next year’s UC
operational budget and whether the proposed budget adequately
supports efforts to increase diversity.
The meeting opened in the morning with a public comment period
during which UCLA students and L.A. community members urged the
regents to address the lack of underrepresented and minority
students admitted to UC schools and demanded that the regents
increase funds allocated to academic preparation programs.
Academic preparation programs, which include UCLA’s
Student Initiated Access Committee, prepare high school students
for university education, including SAT preparation and workshops
about financial aid, said Bill Shiebler, president of the
University of California Students Association.
“These programs encourage a college-going culture and
provide a new perspective to high school students that college is a
possibility and they can do it,” Shiebler said.
The UC developed academic preparation programs largely in
response to the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996, which caused a
decrease in minority student enrollment in the UC system, said Tina
Park, USAC vice president of external affairs.
“The regents had these programs developed to ensure that
we don’t see a complete loss of students of color on this
campus,” Park said.
“The programs focus on students of color and lower income
because they face the most barriers today,” she said.
While the meeting was not disturbed by student protests outside
the building, which were audible inside the conference room,
several regents focused their statements in response to student
concerns and the echoing cheers of the crowd gathered outside the
Covel Grand Horizon Room.
During the budget discussion, Regent Eddie Island cited student
comments on the lack of diversity and expressed displeasure at the
relatively low funding allocated for academic outreach
programs.
Island said he does not believe an adequate effort has been made
to assist in the efforts of bringing greater diversity to the UC
system.
“These (academic preparation programs) are an absolutely
critical activity to our university. I want to see enough priority
attached to this when we are coming up with the budget,”
Island said.
Several regents agreed that funding for academic preparation
programs should be a top priority of the UCs.
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“We’re having a huge impact on minority students and
they need this kind of support,” Regent Frederick Ruiz
said.
Other regents said they are currently working toward diversity
on campuses by participating in a study to find ways for all parts
of the UC system, including students, faculty and graduate
students, to become more diverse.
Toward the end of the discussion, regents chairman Gerald Parsky
insisted the regents take more initiative in establishing
priorities and ensuring the budget fulfills those priorities.
“The regents do sincerely care about achieving a diverse
student body,” he said.
The board will convene today to approve the budget, but over the
next two months the regents will also consider setting several
funding priorities that may ultimately shift some of the money,
Parsky informed reporters after the meeting.
One such priority could be academic preparation programs, which
several regents said deserved better consideration for funding.
The meeting also included a discussion on the establishment of a
law school at UC Irvine. The regents expressed overwhelming support
for the plan.
The only concerns raised were in regard to the long period of
time before the law school would open, since the law school would
not be able to accept students until 2009.