Five aspects of diversity in undergraduate education were examined: access and representation; the academic environment; the social environment; retention and graduation; and assessment.
The University of California seeks to ensure that all segments of the state's population, including historically underrepresented groups, are extended equal access to its facilities through regular admissions, active outreach initiatives, and efforts to raise the level of eligibility among targeted populations. Using statewide projections of UC-eligible high school graduates, the UC Five-Year Plan has set enrollment goals for the University and each individual campus. Using a methodology similar to the one outlined in the UC Five-Year Plan, UCSC is currently developing its own enrollment goals.
The Master Plan for Higher Education in California recommends that the University of California set its eligibility criteria so that the top one-eighth of high school graduates are eligible for admission. These students are not, however, representative of the ethnicity of the state's residents. Eligible students tend to be from higher income families. Asian and Caucasian students are over-represented in the pool of UC-eligible students and a lower proportion of African-American, Chicano, and Latino students are eligible. Subject deficiencies and low grades were the main causes for African-American, Chicano, and Latino high school graduates being ineligible. According to the 1990 California Postsecondary Education Commission's (CPEC) eligibility study, a greater proportion of the state's African-American and Asian students and a smaller proportion of Chicano and Latino students were eligible for UC admission than in 1986.
To increase the eligibility of underrepresented students, the SAA/EOP Office at UCSC has an Early Academic Outreach Program. The program serves over 5,000 students (grades 7 through 12) in 19 middle schools and 37 high schools on the central coast and in the San Joaquin Valley. Services include advising and counseling, tutoring, academic and college motivation workshops, SAT workshops, parent workshops, campus visits, and summer residential programs.
In addition, UCSC has two academic programs that are designed to prepare underrepresented students for college. The Minority High School Student Research Apprentice Program provides stipends for six students from Watsonville High School to enable them to participate in research conducted by UCSC biology faculty. The California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) works with local school districts to design programs to encourage students to prepare for postsecondary studies in science and mathematics. Several projects funded by CAPP are designed specifically for underrepresented students. These projects have included the Santa Cruz Mathematics Academy, a specialized secondary program in mathematics for underrepresented students in grades 9 through 12; and the Gateways Demonstration Project, a program to increase the academic achievement of underrepresented students in ninth-grade science, language arts, and mathematics courses.
After a decade of increases, applications to UC have decreased slightly over the past three years. The largest decline in UC applications among students in underrepresented groups has been among African Americans (a 15 percent drop from 1988 to 1991). The percentage of underrepresented, admitted applicants who enrolled has also dropped. (For example, the enrollment rate for
African-American students dropped from 70 percent in 1987 to 60 percent in 1990).
A historical analysis of enrollment trends shows that all University of California campuses are not equally attractive to minority students. In 1991, about two-thirds of all applicants from underrepresented ethnic groups applied to either UCLA or UCB. About one-fourth applied to UCSC. Anecdotal information from SAA/EOP staff suggests that reasons for different application rates include the academic reputation, total cost of attending (i.e., costs at other campuses can be cut by living at home), availability of specific academic programs, proximity to urban area, size of the local ethnic communities, and presence of intercollegiate sports programs.
UCSC's Immediate Outreach Program, which works closely with the colleges and the offices of Admissions, Housing, and Financial Aid, is designed to increase the number of low-income and underrepresented students who apply and enroll at UCSC. Recruitment activities are held throughout the state at over 150 high schools and community colleges with large minority populations. Services include application workshops, preliminary review and evaluation of transcripts/academic progress, campus visits, assistance with the admission and financial aid process, and follow-up activities with admitted students. This program, along with the outreach component of the Admissions Office, has been greatly involved in diversifying the campus. In addition, the GATE Program (a guaranteed admission program for transfer students) was established to increase the number of underrepresented students transferring from local community colleges.
Not all applicants to UCSC are eligible for admission, and, of those admitted, only a portion enroll. In 1992, UCSC admitted about 83 percent of SAA applicants-the highest admission rate in the UC system. Seventy-two percent of all other applicants were admitted. The percentage admitted from each underrepresented group has remained about the same for the past six years. About 22 percent of the admitted underrepresented students enrolled at UCSC (compared to 26 percent for non-SAA students). This "take-rate" for underrepresented students has remained fairly stable for the past four years despite falling rates for non-minority students. UCSC's take-rate for SAA students is lower than most UC campuses (in 1992, the high was 38.5 percent at UCLA, and the low was 17.7 percent at UCR). Twenty percent of the parents of accepted minority applicants who chose not to attend UCSC said the cost of attending UCSC was an important factor in their son's or daughter's decision to attend other schools. Another 20 percent cited the campus's remote location or small-town atmosphere, while an additional 15 percent chose to attend a campus with a wider range of programs or better academic reputation. In all, about one-third of the students of color accepted at UCSC chose to attend another UC campus.
Students who cannot meet all of the admissions requirements may be admitted through the special action admissions program. Typically, students admitted through this program fall short of the formal requirements in only one category (e.g., science courses). At UCSC, special admissions are granted primarily to underrepresented students. The SAA/EOP and Admissions Offices share the responsibility for selecting the students admitted under the program. High-risk students admitted through special action are required to participate in a variety of SAA/EOP support programs.
Twelve percent of fall 1986 entering freshpersons were members of underrepresented ethnic minorities. By the fall of 1991, this percentage had doubled and an additional 14 percent of the class were Asian-American or other students of color. The absolute number of students from an ethnic group can have an important influence on students' sense of belonging; although a group may be represented at UCSC in the same proportion as in the general population, there may still be too few students to develop a feeling of community. Table D.1 shows the number and percentage of first-year minority students at UCSC from the fall of 1986 to the fall of 1992.
In 1992, Santa Cruz had the third highest percentage (21 percent) of new undergraduates from SAA groups among all UC campuses. (UCB with 31 percent and UCLA with 27 percent were higher.) The percentage of all new students of color at UCSC was the next to lowest in the UC due to the relatively low percentage of Asian students (9 percent at UCSC, 23 percent systemwide).
University of California policy allows for up to 6 percent of a campus's first-year enrollments to be made by special action admission. The actual percentage at individual campuses varies due to the number and qualifications of applicants in different categories. Over the past five years, between 9 and 12 percent of all UCSC's freshpersons were admitted through special action, and this has been an important element in creating an ethnically diverse student body. Students accepted through special admission programs account for about a third of the students from underrepresented groups at UCSC. Table D.2 illustrates the impact of these programs on the ethnic diversity of undergraduates enrolled during fall 1992.
UCSC admitted more transfer students over the past two years than at any time in history. Table D.3 shows the number and percentage of transfer students by ethnicity from 1986 to 1992. Since 1986, minority students have been a lower percentage of transfer students than of entering freshpersons. Since 1989, over one-third of freshpersons have been minority students (see Table D.1) compared to less than one-fourth of transfer students. (Both percentages were substantially lower prior to 1989.)
Transfer enrollments have been especially important for American Indian students. For the past three years, half of all American Indian matriculants transferred to UCSC. (The percentage for all SAA groups is 25 percent). The proportion of all minority students who transferred to UCSC remained relatively stable from 1986 to 1990 at about 18 percent. In the fall of 1991, the percentage increased to 22 percent and rose to 25 percent in the fall of 1992. (For non-minority students, the rate is over 33 percent.) Very few transfer students are admitted through special action admissions.
The increases of African-American, American Indian, Chicano, Filipino, or Latino undergraduate students from 1982 to 1993 are shown in Figure D.1. In fall 1991, UCSC had the third highest percentage (19 percent) of undergraduates from underrepresented groups for all the UC campuses. (UCB with 29 percent and UCLA with 28 percent were higher.) However, the percentage of all students of color at UCSC was the lowest in the UC due to the relatively low percentage of Asian students (8 percent at UCSC, 22 percent across all UC campuses).
Figure D.1 shows a substantial increase in the percentage of underrepresented undergraduate students over time. Figure D.2 represents the ethnic composition of the entire undergraduate student body for the fall quarter of 1992.
[Figure D.1 Unavailable]
Nationwide, issues of access and representation are focused almost entirely on ethnicity. Like most institutions, UCSC has not established specific numeric goals for the enrollment of other student groups, such as women, the disabled, and re-entry students. Instead, emphasis is placed on supporting these students once they have enrolled. Programs designed to support these students are examined in "Diversity in the Social Environment."
Some faculty members believe that the best long-term response to California's increasing ethnic diversity requires the university's collaboration with K-12 schools to strengthen curricula and instruction for all students through programs that emphasize the needs of students in underrepresented groups. Effective programs at the precollege level could increase students' academic preparation, enhance their self-confidence and sense of self-efficacy, and extend their academic aspirations.
With such goals in mind, UCSC faculty members are directing numerous local and regional projects and programs in partnership with school districts and county offices of education. The larger-scale, longer-term programs include the following:
the National Center for Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning;
local sites for the California Mathematics Project, the statewide Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project, the California Writing Project, and the California Science Project;
Santa Cruz Mathematics Academy (local site of the California Department of Education's Specialized Secondary Program);
Science Connections (funded by the State Grants Program of the Eisenhower Science and Mathematics Education Act); and
Thematic Mathematics in the Middle School (funded by the California Academic Partnership Program).
When compared to the demographic composition of California, ethnic minority undergraduate students are underrepresented in the University of California and at UCSC. Many of the reasons for this lie beyond the control of the campus (e.g., high school graduation rates, UC eligibility requirements, and socio-economic factors). While full representation of the state's diverse population remains an important objective of the University of California and UCSC, the campus's progress in the near-term is more properly evaluated against legally defined criteria.
The enrollment goals in the UC Five-Year Plan propose that the proportion of SAA students in each campus's entering class reflect their proportion among all high school graduates. Based on 1988 enrollments, this would require UCSC to more than double the percentage of entering Chicano and African-American students by the year 1995. Similarly, the campus's own five-year goal is to increase new enrollments of African-American students to 7.9 percent, Chicano students to 15.9 percent, and Latino students to 3.4 percent of total enrollments. For fall 1992 freshpersons, 2.1 percent were African American, 9.8 percent were Chicano, and 4.0 percent were Latino. Latino enrollments are currently at the targeted level and there has been steady movement toward the goal for Chicano students. At the same time, enrollment of African-American students declined in 1992 and remains an area of great concern. Although appreciable progress has been made in increasing the campus's ethnic diversity over the last seven years, our collective achievements have been uneven. For UCSC to achieve its stated goals will require continued efforts to increase the ethnic diversity of its undergraduates. Our inquiry has pointed to several areas in which the institution's diversity initiatives could be strengthened.
More work is needed to understand the ethnic identities of students. Students' self-reported ethnic identities are rarely verified or re-examined. Because enrollment trends for small groups (e.g., American Indians) can be skewed by only a few misidentified students, it is important that an effort be made to evaluate the quality of our data. Identification of ethnic minorities is currently based on self-reported choices among the categories listed in the UC application form. That form asks students to report their ethnic identities as one of thirteen categories (African American, Chicano, Latino, American Indian, Filipino, Chinese, East Indian/Pakistani, Japanese, Korean, Pacific Islander, Other Asian, Caucasian, or Other). Specific information about the ethnic/cultural identity of students who identify themselves as "Other Asian" is unavailable.
Some information that would prove helpful in evaluating access and representation was simply unavailable. Data on parental income of students have only recently been solicited on a voluntary basis and remain incomplete. In addition, there is little information available that could be used to evaluate UCSC's outreach programs. As these programs are critical in meeting the campus's long-range ethnic diversity goals, it is especially important to evaluate their efficiency and impact.
Eight aspects of diversity in the academic environment were examined: general education requirements; ethnic studies courses; gender studies courses; undergraduate instruction; academic programs supporting underrepresented students; the majors chosen by ethnic minorities; women majoring in the sciences; and research support groups.
In 1986, an ethnic/third world course was added to the general education requirements. These courses are designed to increase student and faculty awareness of non-Western cultures; improve cross-cultural awareness, skills, and sensitivity; and explore relationships between ethnicity and other topics in the liberal arts curriculum. Ethnic/third world courses must have at least half of their content dealing with ethnic minorities in the U.S. or a non-Western society and most of the course content must be relevant to current historic time. Although all students must pass only one ethnic/third world course to graduate, a recent study found that graduates took an average of 2.7 courses that satisfied this requirement.
Offering a sufficient number of ethnic/third world general education courses may become problematic. An analysis of the "E" courses offered in 1991-92 found that 57 percent of the course sections were taught by temporary faculty (about half of these were college core courses). The current budget crisis now places curricula dependent upon temporary faculty in jeopardy. In developing curricular plans for 1993-94, care has been taken to ensure that a sufficient number of "E" courses will be offered. However, due to these fiscal and curricular problems, it is likely that the implementation of the ethnic/third world general education requirement will be reviewed in the near future.
Another issue concerning general education is the performance of ethnic students in specific requirements. African-American, Latino, and Filipino students had significantly higher failure rates in Introduction to the Natural Sciences ("IN") courses than other students and over one-third did not pass their first Quantitative ("Q") Course. More than one-fourth of the students admitted through special action did not pass their first "Q" course. These findings indicate that additional support for these students is required.
In addition to "E" courses, many majors offer other upper-division courses with ethnic content. A broad overview of all courses on U.S. ethnic topics is jointly published by the Divisions of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The publication lists the courses scheduled to be offered each quarter as well as faculty with research interests in U.S. ethnic studies who are willing to support independent studies and thesis work. It also provides a listing of ethnic student organizations, and briefly describes the "pathways" or "tracks" within academic programs related to ethnic studies, such as those in American Studies and Latin American Studies.
Table D.4 summarizes the number and level of undergraduate courses offered in 1992-93 that focused on issues related to ethnic identity and culture. Nearly half of all ethnic studies courses were comparative and two-thirds were in the upper-division. Of the lower-division courses, seven studied specific American ethnic groups. In addition several colleges have recently modified their core courses to reflect diversity issues. For example, in 1991-92, Kresge College reorganized around the theme of race, class, gender, and sexuality. Crown College designed a new core course on world cultures.
Courses in gender studies are offered by a wide array of programs. In addition, the interdisciplinary program in Women's Studies, in which over 90 students were majoring in 1992, offers courses which present cross-cultural and historical perspectives on gender, race, and class; the family; language and gender; women's work; feminist theory; biology and evolution; sexuality; and gender and interpretation.
In our inquiries on this subject, the Steering Committee sought information concerning how academic units were adjusting their instruction in response to the diverse educational needs of students. One board chair observed that "the content of UCSC courses shows serious response to diversity issues. Our ways of teaching have been less innovative." Other responses suggested that many faculty members equate "diversity" solely with underprepared students. Some respondents referred not to teaching, but to changes in the curriculum, improvements in learning assistance programs, the recruitment of students in underrepresented groups, and the recruitment of ethnic minorities (and women, in some cases) into teaching positions. Obviously, the survey's definition of teaching practices responsive to the diverse needs of students needed to be clarified.
Practices most commonly cited by respondents include: conveying high expectations (or at least not conveying low expectations) of student performance, demonstrating genuine and continuing interest in a student's academic progress, providing effective academic advice, encouraging students to collaborate in their studies, emphasizing real-world applications of theoretical knowledge (including experiential learning and community service), and creating opportunities for undergraduate participation in research. The truth is that such responsive teaching practices are generally as effective for "traditional" students as for "new" students, and many are being practiced at UCSC. This suggests that continuing efforts to support these practices and to improve instruction may be the best way to ensure that teaching responds to the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Respondents to the Committee's survey also suggested that future initiatives should emphasize the selection of new curricular topics and materials and the development of workshops on pedagogical strategies (particularly for regular faculty members who have not previously been involved in developing and offering the newer courses that address diversity issues).
Programs designed to assist underrepresented students often address their social and academic needs in combination. The programs summarized below place their primary focus on students' academic success. Other programs described in the section on social support also provide academic assistance.
The Natural Sciences Division has made highly visible efforts to meet the learning needs of undergraduate students who are underrepresented in postsecondary studies of science, engineering, and mathematics.
Academic Excellence Program (ACE) is an Honors Program in mathematics and science. Started in 1986, it aims to increase the success rates of underrepresented math and science majors in their first year by offering intensive honors sections to complement their courses. Modeled after the successful Professional Development Program at UC Berkeley, the ACE Program is coordinated with the boards of study in chemistry, biology, and mathematics. A recent grant from ARCO extends this program to the earth sciences. At present, this program has been exclusively for courses in the Natural Sciences Division. It will probably be expanding for the first time in its nine-year history into the Social Sciences Division beginning fall 1994.
California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) is a consortium of public and private universities which share the goal of doubling the number of California minority students with degrees in science and engineering. UCSC is one of four regional coordinating institutions that develop activities for students and faculty. More than twenty faculty from the Natural Sciences Division are involved with developing CAMP activities.
Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) offers academic-year stipends to twenty-two undergraduate and eight graduate minority students in biology and chemistry and an eight-week summer program for sixteen to eighteen undergraduate students.
Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) offers research training for six honors undergraduate students each year to prepare them for entry into doctoral study in the biomedical sciences.
The (recently initiated) Minority Engineering Office is an extension of the Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement Program (MESA) at Cabrillo College. It offers outreach and enrichment activities to prospective transfer students through its monthly Saturday Academy and through summer activities. For admitted students it provides transition support and monitors their progress through graduation.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Biological Sciences Education Programs' Summer Institute provides twenty upper-division students with training in research techniques in molecular and cell biology. In 1991-92, half the participants were women and one-third were from ethnic minorities.
The Division of Social Sciences also conducts special programs that emphasize high academic expectations along with explicit opportunities for personal growth.
Developing Leaders of the Emerging Majority is a three-year program funded by the Kellogg Foundation to develop twenty-five undergraduate students from the emerging majority for leadership positions and to integrate leadership development into field study and public service programs.
Project Pipeline is the local affiliate of a statewide program, funded by the Eisenhower State Grants Program, that encourages undergraduate minority students to prepare for careers as teachers of science and mathematics.
In Humanities, increased foreign-language-based general instruction in content courses occurs both in the Spanish for Spanish Speakers Program and through an NEH initiative. Some instructors also offer Spanish-language discussion sections to accompany courses taught in English. The Writing Program offers a diversity of topical Writing I classes, works on effective support systems for students for whom English is a second language, and engages its instructors in frequent discussions of challenges, problems, curricula, and teaching methods.
In addition to these programs and activities sponsored by academic units, several non-academic units offer programs to meet the diverse academic needs of students from ethnic minorities and other groups. The Student Affirmative Action/Educational Opportunity Program (SAA/EOP) Office sponsors the following programs:
SAA/EOP Summer Bridge Program is a five-week residential academic program for incoming special action students. Students chosen for the program are the most "at risk" in terms of their academic preparation, and the program's goal is to prepare them for the rigors and challenges of university education. Students receive intensive coursework in math, writing, study skills, and computer literacy; they also participate in special social, cultural, leadership-building, and career-development activities.
Summer Opportunities for Academic Research is an eight-week program that provides students with hands-on research experiences under the direction and mentoring of a UCSC faculty. The program focuses on juniors and seniors in social sciences and humanities who show an interest in pursuing masters and doctoral studies and who are interested in academic careers. Students selected for the program receive academic credit for summer research activities, and participate in writing, communication, and Graduate Record Examination preparation workshops.
The Faculty Mentor Program was initiated during the 1989-1990 academic year with Pre-graduate Mentorship funds from the Office of the President. Run in conjunction with the Graduate Division, it prepares students for graduate study in humanities, social, and natural sciences. With the active participation of faculty, this program identifies, selects, and places 25-30 underrepresented students in faculty-sponsored research projects. The goals of the program are to encourage students' interest in research, develop their research skills and scholarship, increase placements in graduate programs at the doctoral level, and ultimately increase and diversify the faculty pool for UC and other universities nationally.
The Undergraduate Minority Scholars Program was developed to promote and demystify graduate school. The program sponsors workshops designed to help socialize students into the academic process and develop the skills necessary for graduate school.
The Academic Monitoring System was developed for selected "high risk" students admitted through the SAA/EOP special action program. With the active participation of faculty, this system tracks identified special-action students and monitors their progress in each course in which they are enrolled. Faculty members provide mid-quarter evaluations of students enrolled in their classes, and appropriate interventions are initiated while there is still time to prevent a student from doing poorly or failing a course (e.g., referral of students to services offered through the Learning Center or academic advisement).
Academic Advising has been strengthened over the past four years by increasing the emphasis on advising and counseling for SAA/EOP students throughout their academic careers. Advisement and counseling begin during the orientation program for all entering SAA/EOP students and extend to assisting advanced students with academic, personal, career, and graduate school planning.
The Learning Center, now in its sixth year of operation, provides a range of services aimed at improving the academic advancement and graduation rates of SAA/EOP students.
The Academic Assessment Program engages in testing and interviewing aimed at helping students assess their learning and cognitive styles and diagnose their needs.
The Writing Assistance Program seeks to increase the reading, writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills of students by providing feedback on writing. The program offers one-hour tutorials to all SAA/EOP students, as well as workshops on writing and on passing the Subject A examination. It assists upper-division students by providing term paper and senior-thesis-writing workshops.
The Subject Matter Tutorial Program offers scheduled individual and group tutorials in most lower-division and some upper-division courses. Through this program, students are able to schedule formal appointments with tutors in such areas as math, physics, biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, psychology, etc., and meet with them on a regular basis throughout the quarter.
The Study Skills Program provides workshops on: test anxiety, training for class participation, values clarification, improving concentration and motivation, and building greater confidence in academic abilities. Through the program, students also learn how better to manage their time, prepare for tests, and develop strategies for test taking.
The Drop-In Tutorial Services offer informal assistance to students who need tutorial help on a one-time and/or limited basis. Similar to the Subject Matter Tutoring Program, drop-in tutoring provides personal assistance in math, physics, biology, chemistry, computer science, etc. But unlike the Subject Matter Tutorial Program, no formal appointments are scheduled and students generally meet with tutors on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Computer Literacy Workshops are provided through the computer lab in the Learning Center which helps students gain computer literacy on Macintosh computers and UNIX terminals. Computer consultants are available to provide on-site tutorial assistance to students.
In the fall of 1992, half of all SAA students were majoring in the social sciences. Twenty percent majored in the natural sciences, 20 percent majored in the humanities, 7 percent were in the arts, and the remainder had interdisciplinary or individual majors. Figure D.3 displays the percentage of SAA students by major area since 1986.
The most significant trend in the majors of SAA students is the movement from natural to social sciences. The percentage of ethnically underrepresented students enrolled in the natural sciences fell from 43 percent in 1986 to 21 percent in 1992. The percentage of social science majors grew from 36 in 1986 to 49 percent in 1992. These figures reflect campuswide changes; by 1992, just 25 percent of all undergraduates majored in the natural sciences and 42 percent were in the social sciences.
Nationwide, women are underrepresented in the natural sciences. There was a decline in the number of science majors for both genders between 1987 and 1991. Table D.5 summarizes the trends for women majoring in the natural sciences at UCSC. Based on fall enrollments, women constitute nearly half of all science majors at UCSC (at a time when 62 percent of all undergraduate students are women). In fall 1992, about one-fifth of the women who had declared a major were studying the natural sciences-down from one-third in 1986. Thus, women represent an increasing proportion of a decreasing category, namely natural science majors.
Since 1987, about 70 percent of all women studying a natural science have been in biology (compared to about a third of the men). In biochemistry, chemistry, and math, the percentage of women majors is equal to that of men. Men are far more likely than women to major in computer science, computer engineering, earth sciences, and physics.
Diversity is the focus of a variety of groups that coordinate the research activities of graduate students and faculty. These research support groups bring prominent scholars to campus and organize conferences, thus giving undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in courses and seminars. Such groups include the Bilingual Research Group, the Center for Cultural Studies, Comparative Histories of Ethnicity and Nationalism, the Culture and Power Research Group, the Focused Research Activity in Feminist Studies, the Focused Research Activity in World Literature and Cultural Studies, the Group for International and Comparative Economic Studies, the Lesbian and Gay Studies Research Group, the Race and Ethnicity Research Council, and the Seminar in Comparative American Studies.
The number of courses of interest to SAA students, or with ethnic studies content, needs monitoring. With cuts in temporary faculty there may be a decrease in the number of "E" courses offered. Senate faculty should be encouraged to teach these courses and/or to add ethnic components to new and existing courses. Workshops on instructional strategies for a more diverse student body would be useful.
The Committee on Educational Policy employs a set of explicit criteria for evaluating all new course proposals. The current course review standards do not now include consideration of a proposed course's inclusion in ethnic study tracks, the potential interest in the course on the part of diverse student groups, or the coverage of diverse points of view. The Committee has placed the discussion of such standards on its future agenda.
UCSC offers a large number of academic support programs to prospective and enrolled SAA students. A review of the organization of units providing SAA students with services was conducted during spring quarter 1993 as this self-study was being prepared. A report has been submitted, but has not been made public at the time of this writing. After the review and reorganization (if any) is complete, regular assessment would be desirable.
The largest of the new UCSC curricular initiatives is the proposal for a School of Engineering. This school will provide balance to the campus's liberal arts-dominated curriculum and attract students seeking professional degrees. Plans for the school are currently being reviewed by university and state oversight committees, but it is likely that the acquisition of faculty and construction of facilities for the school will be postponed until the state's budget crisis is resolved. The proposal places great emphasis on the need for programs to support women and other underrepresented groups in engineering. Based on the enrollment of students in other UC engineering programs, the new school should also help to attract Asian students to the campus and contribute to reversing the nine-year trend away from the natural sciences by increasing student interest in this area.
Systems for tracking the academic progress of students need to be developed. Other than retention and graduation-rate data, little, if any, relevant information is currently available on which to base an evaluation of their success. Understanding the failure rates of African-American, Latino, and Filipino groups in the "IN" and "Q" general education requirements (and providing support mechanisms for these students) is particularly important.
The social environment at UCSC is a complex web of formal services and personal interactions that are different for every student. The tools available to the institution for shaping the social environment include its programs to support students from diverse backgrounds and its policies regarding student conduct.
Non-academic programs supporting students with diverse backgrounds are primarily situated in student service units. These student service units include the Student Organization and Resources Office, Disabled Student Services, Re-Entry Student Services, the Women's Center, and the Rape Prevention Education Program. Other offices that serve diverse student groups include the Financial Aid Office and the Arts and Lectures Program. In his overview of campus priorities, the Chancellor urged that the function of such programs not be impaired by budget reductions. As all student service units have endured a series of substantial reductions, it was, perhaps, inevitable that some of these programs have nevertheless received significant budget reductions. Each unit or program is described briefly as follows:
Student Organization Advising and Resources Office (SOAR) seeks to develop student organizations, student governance, and student media. It provides services to over 150 student organizations including many that are directly involved in the activities of women; ethnic minorities; and gay, lesbian, or bisexual students.
Disabled Student Services (DSS) provides support services and referrals for administrative, academic, personal, social, and financial problems that may result from a student's handicap. The office also provides certification for veterans and their dependents who are eligible for Veterans Administration and California veterans educational benefits.
The Re-Entry Student Services unit provides support for undergraduate students 25 years of age or older (about 12 percent of all students). Their aim is to increase the academic success and retention of re-entry students by identifying their special needs and serving as an advocate for programs and services which address these concerns.
The Women's Center provides services to students, faculty, and staff. The Center supplies schedules of lectures, workshops, support groups, and social events and provides a place to meet, organize, study, initiate projects, and socialize.
The Rape Prevention Education Program sponsors workshops during orientation on the causes and prevention of date rape. Follow-up workshops are offered in residence halls and student apartments. The Program also sponsors films and videos on the politics of gender and coordinates women's self-defense classes.
The Arts and Lectures Program coordinates the presentation of live performances by professional artists. Serving both the campus and the community, its aim is to supplement the intellectual life of the classroom and provide diverse cultural programming.
The Financial Aid Office conducts about twenty information and application workshops in local high schools each year. Most of them take place in schools with large numbers of economically disadvantaged students. All workshops are conducted in Spanish and English. This year, an 800 phone number for SAA applicants and their parents was created. Twenty-nine percent of all financial aid recipients in 1991-92 were SAA students. Financial aid programs specifically for SAA students include:
Based on financial awards in 1990-91, SAA students average more than $3,000 per person in grants, $1,650 in scholarships, $3,000 in loans, and $1,500 in work study. In general, SAA students at UCSC receive more in scholarship and grants and less in loans than the average SAA student in the University of California.
Another set of activities that are intended to foster a sense of community are the graduation ceremonies for African-American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Chicano/Latino students. Each group sponsors a ceremony for students, faculty, and staff that celebrates the accomplishments of new graduates. Special music, food, language, and traditions make these ceremonies especially meaningful to the graduates, their parents, and the campus. A similar ceremony is held for graduates in the Women's Studies Program.
Campus policies regarding student harassment due to race, gender, and sexual orientation are distributed yearly in the Navigator. In most cases, responsibility for enforcing the policies are shared among staff in the colleges, boards, and the central administration. In 1992 the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) conducted a review of the campus's policies and responses to racial harassment. The report noted that "UCSC has a strong public commitment to promoting and supporting racial and ethnic diversity and . . . has made an extensive effort to create an atmosphere which encourages a diverse and multicultural community." However, the review also noted that: "interviews with students and faculty of color did reveal perceptions of institutional racism on the campus, most commonly with respect to experiencing racial stereotyping and lack of acceptance of minority students. However, these experiences were generally not perceived as harassment."
The OCR review concluded that the UCSC staff has received appropriate training and has sufficient resources to process racial harassment complaints. The campus has taken appropriate steps to deal with complaints of harassment when they occur and the complaint resolution process has worked successfully. Recent budget cuts may have had a significant impact on the ability of the campus to deal effectively with some complaints (especially sexual harassment and assault). However, UCSC has recently appointed a full-time Title IX Officer.
Despite the high visibility of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Program and the Rape Prevention Education Program, there remains on campus a significant concern about sexual assault. There have been recent criticisms that sexual assaults and sexual harassment complaints have not been handled sensitively and appropriately. UCSC is currently undergoing investigation by the Office of Civil Rights of complaints that the campus tolerates an environment that is sexually hostile to women. The campus administration has expressed its intention to cooperate fully with the inquiry and is committed to taking any necessary steps to remedy any deficiencies in its complaint and resolution procedures. A draft of a new sexual harassment policy is under review by the campus at the present time, and a task force will be examining how the campus's response to sexual assault can be faster and more sensitive to the victims. The success of these initiatives is important for providing a supportive environment for women.
A concern of the accreditation team in 1986 was that most minority students were housed in only two of the eight colleges. Although two colleges continue to house a larger proportion of students of color (51 percent of Merrill College students; 44 percent of those in Oakes College), there is currently a better distribution of minority students in the remaining six colleges. During fall 1992, 27 percent of the students in the other colleges were students of color. Of these six, Porter College had the lowest percentage (22 percent) and College Eight had the highest (37 percent).
To provide an overview of how students view UCSC's social and academic climate, a comprehensive questionnaire was mailed to students in the winter of 1990. It was sent to all students of color, all graduate students, and a random sample of all other students. A significant portion of the questions addressed issues of diversity. A section of the final report focused on the views of students from diverse backgrounds (by ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic status).
About half of all respondents felt that students were treated equally regardless of sexual orientation or gender; about one-fourth disagreed. However, student opinion was split on whether students from different cultures or ethnic backgrounds were treated equally. The majority reported being satisfied with the opportunities to interact with students with similar and different backgrounds (although there was less satisfaction regarding interaction with diverse faculty and staff). Two-thirds reported frequent conversations with students from different cultural/ethnic backgrounds and with others whose values or beliefs were different from their own. Very few students reported that problems having to do with gender, sexual orientation, or disability would be likely to slow their progress toward their degree. However, about fifteen percent of all students felt it was extremely to moderately likely that problems related to ethnicity might slow their progress.
Students from different ethnic/cultural backgrounds reported markedly different problems and views of UCSC. The results of the survey, focusing on how groups differed from one another, are profiled below:
African-American students were the least likely to feel they received equal treatment and felt higher anxiety. They were also more likely to be dissatisfied with college advising, contacts with their board of study, and course access. At the same time, African-American students were more active in on-campus social events, were more politically active, and felt more socially integrated than students in other ethnic groups.
Asian-American students were more dissatisfied with UCSC's academic programs than other students. They had the least involvement in off-campus activities and were dissatisfied with the opportunities for informal socializing. They were more likely to feel that all students were treated fairly, but were dissatisfied with their opportunities to interact with other students with the same ethnic/cultural background.
Euro-American students reported the fewest academic or personal problems. They were the most likely to agree that all students were treated equally and they reported the least contact with students of different ethnicities. They reported the highest level of satisfaction with informal opportunities to socialize and had the least involvement with on-campus activities. (They reported the highest level of off-campus activities.) Euro-American students had the highest satisfaction with the quality of instruction, interaction with their board, and had the highest level of self-esteem.
Chicano students reported more academic, motivational, and personal problems than students in other groups. They were less satisfied with the availability of their faculty advisers, the quality of board interactions, and the overall quality of instruction. They reported that they were more likely to repeat courses. Chicano students were dissatisfied with the opportunities for informal socializing and were less likely than other groups to agree that all students were treated equally. Unlike other ethnic/cultural groups, their dissatisfactions were not counterbalanced by other areas of satisfaction.
Latino students were more likely to report that personal problems were affecting their academic progress (27 percent), and one-third said that a change of major would cause them to take longer to graduate. They reported higher satisfaction with their social opportunities than students in other groups (e.g., contact with people in the same and different ethnic groups, informal socializing, and on-campus events). Latino students were more satisfied with the availability of their college and faculty advisers, and rated the academic programs at UCSC higher than students in any other group. They also reported higher levels of anxiety and lower self-esteem.
Native American students reported fewer academic, diversity, motivational, or personal problems than other groups. They were generally more satisfied with the social atmosphere (e.g., contact with people from the same and different ethnic groups, social integration, and students treated fairly). Native American students were also more satisfied with the academic atmosphere. They were less likely to repeat a course and more planned to take extra courses before graduating. Native American students also reported higher self-esteem than students in other groups.
Other minority students (e.g., those who identified their ethnic/cultural group as 'Other') reported more motivational and diversity problems. Compared with other groups, they were dissatisfied with opportunities for interaction with people with similar and different ethnic backgrounds, reported the lowest level of social integration, and were less likely to agree that all students received equal treatment. They were less satisfied with the availability of their college and faculty advisers, and were more likely to take a reduced course load. Other minority students attended more off-campus events than students in other groups.
Socio-economic and gender differences were also studied. Students from higher-income families tended to be more socially integrated and had fewer problems. (Lower-income students were more involved with their advisers and were more politically active.) Women students tended to be less engaged in their coursework and were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety.
Many of the comments on the questionnaire addressed issues of diversity. Nearly all students agreed that campus programs must emphasize diversity. However, there was marked disagreement about how successful the programs have been. Follow-up studies are now being discussed which will clarify the broad problem areas identified by the survey.
In 1986, the Student Union Assembly passed a resolution calling for the Chancellor to form a committee to address the needs and concerns of the campus's gay community. After interviewing students in the gay community, the task force released its report in 1987. As a result of the committee's recommendations, a permanent committee (the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Community Concerns Committee) was formed.
During the fall of 1988, a comprehensive study was undertaken to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and campus behaviors of gay and non-gay students. About 10 percent of UCSC's students reported being attracted to members of the same sex. They reported being less comfortable than heterosexual students, although they did not appear to be socially isolated. Students felt that UCSC staff did not treat GLB students differently from other students. One-fourth of the GLB students reported that GLB issues were not discussed in classes where it would have been appropriate, and 13 percent said professors had made anti-gay remarks in the classroom. Thirty percent of the GLB students said they were uncomfortable in on-campus housing and 20 percent concealed their sexual orientation to avoid harassment. Freshpersons had considerably higher homoanxiety than advanced standing students and males had higher homoanxiety than females. Students who attended workshops or courses which had discussed GLB issues were found to have less homoanxiety than those who had not. Only 40 percent of the students were aware of UCSC's policy regarding sexual orientation. Compared to studies on other campuses, the environment at UCSC was considerably less hostile.
Following the study, a resource center for GLB students was established. In 1992, Chancellor Pister announced a new policy that would extend the use of UCSC library and recreation facilities to domestic partners of students, faculty, and staff.
Although considerable effort is directed toward making UCSC a supportive environment for a wide variety of students, no university can entirely compensate for societal conditions or personal biases. The campus ethos among students, faculty, and staff strongly discourages discriminatory attitudes and aggressive behavior. Still, incidents do occur. It is encouraging to note that while many of these incidents involve first-year matriculants, as students become increasingly enculturated and mature, they temper their behavior and become more accepting of others.
In spite of the campus's efforts to provide adequate financial support, the recent shift in the cost of higher education from the public to the student makes it more difficult for individuals from less affluent families to attend college. This is a particular problem at UCSC, as its non-urban location and a limited job market make it more difficult to afford. If UCSC is unable to attract a diverse group of students, not only will it be unable to meet its goal of becoming representative, but the quality of life for all students will be diminished.
The single largest issue for units with the responsibility for creating a supportive environment for students from diverse backgrounds is budget cuts. Reductions in staff and resources over the past two years have caused significant reductions in the services supporting diversity. Problem areas include the colleges and the Affirmative Action Office. Without a substantial change in the state's strategies for funding higher education, further reductions appear inevitable. Although the campus has attempted to protect selected functions from the recent cuts because of their importance in supporting diversity, non-academic units will continue to face the greatest scrutiny and bear the greatest burden of reductions.
There is a lack of information about the effectiveness of some of the programs supporting the social environment for diverse student groups. In times of fiscal crisis, it is especially important for program managers not only to justify the need for these programs, but to be able to demonstrate that the programs are effective. Not having information on effectiveness hampers efforts to improve program quality and increases the vulnerability of these programs to budget reductions.
The social climate for underrepresented students appears to vary considerably among various boards and colleges. Because of this and a lack of systematically collected information, it is difficult to characterize the overall climate for diversity. Studies currently under way should provide additional information about the climate for women in the sciences and students in Oakes College. There is a general need for more information about the variety of student groups and their environments.
In general, efforts to increase the retention and graduation rates of all students have resulted in significant improvements in the retention rates for ethnic minority students. Annual data show the dramatic increase that has occurred in campuswide retention and graduation rates for all students over the past five years. Forty-one percent of the students entering in 1988-89 graduated in four years-twice the percentage of students entering just five years earlier. The graduation rates for underrepresented students have also increased. The five-year graduation rate for SAA students was 46 percent for students entering in 1986 or 1987. In comparison, only about 29 percent of the SAA students entering in 1984 or 1985 had graduated within five years. The five-year graduation rate for Euro-American and Asian students for 1986 and 1987 was about 55 percent. SAA students tend to take longer to graduate (e.g., African-American freshpersons are enrolled, on the average, for 13.3 quarters while earning their bachelor's degrees compared to a campus average of 12.5 quarters).
Table D.6 shows retention rates averaged over the five years (1984-1988) for students from underrepresented groups. There are additional indications that the interventions of the past few years are continuing to narrow the gap between minority and non-minority students. For students entering in fall 1991, the one-year retention rate for underrepresented students (85 percent) was higher than for Euro-American students (82 percent).
Analysis of retention and graduation rates by gender began only in 1990. One-, two-, and three-year retention rates have been similar for men and women over the past several years. However, a greater percentage of women are graduating within four (women: 44 percent; men: 36 percent) or five years (women: 57 percent; men: 53 percent). Men tend to take longer to graduate than women in all disciplines.
Compared to other UC campuses, UCSC has historically had the lowest retention and graduation rates. The dramatic improvements of the past several years now place the campus's four-year graduation rates among the best in UC. (Five- and six-year rates are lower than the UC average, but are continuing to improve). The graduation rates for students from underrepresented groups are at or near the UC average. Compared to other public research universities, a higher percentage of students (minority and overall) are retained and graduate from UCSC.
The retention and graduation rates of minority students have improved dramatically over the past five years. Except for African-American students, underrepresented students are retained at or near the campuswide rate. However, the percentage of underrepresented students who graduate in four, five, or six years is significantly below the rate for Asian and Euro-American students (after six years, 37 percent vs 53 percent, respectively). The reason for this difference is unknown. The campus needs to examine the problem more closely to determine if there are ways in which underrepresented students might be assisted in completing their degrees.
Compared to students in other SAA groups, a lower proportion of African-American students remains enrolled at Santa Cruz. This may be due to perceptions of an inhospitable environment (as mentioned by graduate students that the Committee talked with). Another possible explanation lies in the number of African Americans who are admitted as "high risk" students.
Methods used at UCSC for monitoring and evaluating various aspects of undergraduate diversity are summarized below.
Weekly reports on admissions are circulated to key offices during the crucial months. These reports include summaries of applications, admissions, and receipt of notices of intent to register for regular and special action students. Quarterly summaries of admissions include analyses by ethnicity, income, home location, and gender. To assess the impact of the increases in tuition in 1991-92 and 1992-93 on students' decisions to attend UCSC, surveys were sent to a sample of parents both years. The demographic composition of each year's students is reported in a widely distributed fact book and is available electronically through INFOSLUG (UCSC's Gopher server on Internet). Included in the Enrollment Fact Sheets are descriptions of enrollments and degrees awarded by ethnicity, gender, age, and area of study for new freshpersons and transfer students. Comparative information for other UC campuses is collected by the Office of Affirmative Action in the Office of the President and is distributed to the campuses.
A report on retention and graduation rates including time-to-degree is published annually. Summaries are provided by ethnicity, gender, admission status (regular, special), college, and home residence (California, out-of-state, international). Campuswide rates are also available on INFOSLUG. Surveys of graduating seniors are taken biannually and the results are reported by ethnicity, gender, and academic level at entrance.
The Academic Senate Committee on Educational Policy routinely evaluates all proposals for new courses and decides whether the course can be applied toward satisfying the general education requirements (including the ethnic/third-world requirement). To supplement annual reports on courses satisfying general education requirements, a 1992 study of general education courses included detailed information about which courses were actually taken to satisfy the requirements.
All student services units are required to conduct periodic evaluations, and surveys to evaluate the services funded by student registration fees are conducted periodically. Two in-depth studies of the social and academic environment have been conducted. The first, on the climate for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students, contributed to the creation of new services and resources. The second, a comprehensive study of campus climate, identified several areas needing improvement, including social support for most students of color.
The campus has available a considerable amount of information on applicants and students, but much of this information has been under the control of only a few administrative units. Although efforts have been made to distribute the available information, units with specific needs have had to request information from units with access to the data. Once fully implemented, the data warehouse project will allow academic and administrative analysts immediate access to student, curricular, and financial databases. This will enable them to examine the impact of policy decisions in ways not previously possible. For example, it will soon be practical for a board or division to examine the retention and graduation rates of a specific group of students (e.g., women in chemistry). This should be an important tool for monitoring student progress and evaluating new programs.
This self-study identified a need for better information on the academic progress and enrollment patterns of undergraduate students. As a result, a longitudinal database is now being developed. This database will be accessible by student services, academic, and administrative offices and should enable a wide variety of analyses on the curriculum and students (e.g., identifying enrollment trends in general education courses or examining the progress of special action students).
Information about student diversity usually is focused on ethnicity or gender. Often information on other characteristics of diversity is not available. Information on family income, number of family generations in the U.S., or parental education is not currently available in the Student Information System. Other data is often incomplete (e.g., disability status). For the campus to better serve these students, it is necessary that our data collection systems be expanded.
Current information on the campus's social environment is based on two major survey research projects. Follow-up studies (e.g., focus groups) are needed to build upon and interpret the findings of these studies. No systematic effort has been made to understand how the information is being used, what changes have been made as a result of the studies, or what impact any interventions may have had. Smaller, more focused, studies should be more useful in effecting change on a unit level.