At UC Riverside, African-American Students Are Staying and Succeeding
African-American students at the University of California, Riverside continue beyond their first year and graduate at higher rates than any other ethnic group, according to the latest retention and six-year graduation figures.
A student celebrates success at UC Riverside's commencement
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) -- African-American students at the University of California, Riverside continue beyond their first year and graduate at higher rates than any other ethnic group, according to the latest retention and six-year graduation figures.
African-Americans in the fall 2002 freshman class had a 73.9 percent graduation rate by 2008, while the overall campus graduation rate was 64.3 percent. Their first-year retention rate was 92.8 percent, while the campus persistence rate was 84.9 percent.
Nationwide, about 54 percent of full-time students at four-year public universities graduate in six years, but the rate for African-Americans is 38 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
“I’m delighted to see concrete evidence of what we have known anecdotally – that our African-American students are doing as well, or in many instances, better, than UCR students overall,” said UCR Chancellor Timothy P. White. “However, our goal is to further increase both retention and graduation rates for African-American students as well as for all student groups.”
Campus officials are not entirely sure why African-Americans do so well at UCR, but they believe a critical factor is that African-Americans feel comfortable on the campus, which is the most diverse in the UC system and was ranked fifth most diverse nationally by U.S. News and World Report.
“Critical mass matters,” said White, “and UCR’s undergraduate student body reflects the face of California.” African-Americans are 7 percent of UCR’s student body, not the 1 percent they are on some college campuses.
A 2008 system-wide survey of undergraduate UC students found that a higher percentage of African-Americans on the UCR campus reported that “students of my race/ethnicity are respected on this campus” than their counterparts at any other UC campus
At UCR a total of 71 percent of African-American men responding said this was true as did 83 percent of African-American women. In the overall UC system only 58 percent of male African-Americans and 63 percent of female African-Americans agreed.
In the same survey 91 percent of all UCR undergraduates responding compared to 83 percent of UC system undergraduates agreed that “diversity is important on this campus.”
“We have a campus culture committed to the success of all students, and it shows,” said David Fairris, vice provost for undergraduate education. “For example, our Fast Start summer program for disadvantaged students interested in medical or science careers greatly increases success in the gateway science courses, and our freshmen transition programs have been found to significantly increase first-year retention, especially for women and under-represented minorities.”
African-American students in engineering and the hard sciences have lower retention and graduation rates than those in the social sciences and arts, but this is true for all ethnic groups.
At a recent Board of Regents meeting, White said that eliminating all gaps in gradation rates is a “defining feature of UCR’s commitment to excellence through diversity” and he reported data showing that for the past several years UCR is outperforming peer institutions nationally in this regard.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Community Forum being held saturday 2/20 at 1:30pm
Community Forum being held to talk about recent events and how to move forward to improve the campus climate being held at UCSD. The meeting location will be in the cross-cultural learning center library in Price Center east.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Mark G. Yudof: Intolerance on Campus
rom Yudof’s facebook notes.
As president of the University and as a scholar of the First Amendment, I have always taken great pride in the richness and variety of voices on our campuses. A university is a special place for the exchange of views and ideas, and it is critical that our policies be conducive to a spirited intellectual life. It is also important that members of the university community conduct themselves with civility and with tolerance for the diverse groups that make up our campuses. Two recent events, one on- campuses and one off-campus, violate those policies and deserve the strongest possible condemnation.
When a small group of students at UC Irvine attempted to shout down Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, they were not engaging, as some have claimed, in “free speech.” Quite the opposite. The constitution does not protect the right to suppress the speech of others. Chancellor Michael Drake issued a strong statement condemning the students’ behavior. In addition to being arrested, the students will face campus disciplinary processes. It is ironic that the same students whose speech rights Chancellor Drake protected, despite the incendiary nature of many of the views expressed, apparently don’t think that those who have a different point of view have the freedom to express themselves on campus. So that members of the UC community can constructively and respectfully air their differences, Chancellor Drake has also instituted a series of discussions.(http://www.chancellor.uci.edu/100217_civility.php) I fully support Chancellor Drake’s actions.
I was also deeply distressed by an off-campus racist event involving a small group of UCSD students this past weekend mocking the commemoration of Black History Month. This behavior is offensive not only to the African-American community, but to all who are dedicated to the principles of diversity and civility that must prevail on any campus. Chancellor Marye Anne Fox condemned the incident in the strongest terms and has also instituted campus disciplinary proceedings. (http://diversity.ucsd.edu/statement.html) Chancellor Fox has also scheduled a teach-in to be held next week so that members of the UCSD community may learn from the incident. As university officials noted, “The remedy for dangerous, offensive or extreme speech is more speech, not less.” I fully support Chancellor Fox and endorse the efforts of all who are working to heal the wounds caused by these two incidents.
As president of the University and as a scholar of the First Amendment, I have always taken great pride in the richness and variety of voices on our campuses. A university is a special place for the exchange of views and ideas, and it is critical that our policies be conducive to a spirited intellectual life. It is also important that members of the university community conduct themselves with civility and with tolerance for the diverse groups that make up our campuses. Two recent events, one on- campuses and one off-campus, violate those policies and deserve the strongest possible condemnation.
When a small group of students at UC Irvine attempted to shout down Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, they were not engaging, as some have claimed, in “free speech.” Quite the opposite. The constitution does not protect the right to suppress the speech of others. Chancellor Michael Drake issued a strong statement condemning the students’ behavior. In addition to being arrested, the students will face campus disciplinary processes. It is ironic that the same students whose speech rights Chancellor Drake protected, despite the incendiary nature of many of the views expressed, apparently don’t think that those who have a different point of view have the freedom to express themselves on campus. So that members of the UC community can constructively and respectfully air their differences, Chancellor Drake has also instituted a series of discussions.(http://www.chancellor.uci.edu/100217_civility.php) I fully support Chancellor Drake’s actions.
I was also deeply distressed by an off-campus racist event involving a small group of UCSD students this past weekend mocking the commemoration of Black History Month. This behavior is offensive not only to the African-American community, but to all who are dedicated to the principles of diversity and civility that must prevail on any campus. Chancellor Marye Anne Fox condemned the incident in the strongest terms and has also instituted campus disciplinary proceedings. (http://diversity.ucsd.edu/statement.html) Chancellor Fox has also scheduled a teach-in to be held next week so that members of the UCSD community may learn from the incident. As university officials noted, “The remedy for dangerous, offensive or extreme speech is more speech, not less.” I fully support Chancellor Fox and endorse the efforts of all who are working to heal the wounds caused by these two incidents.
NAACP LA speaks out on UCSD Injustice
NAACP NEWS
Leon Jenkins Contact : Vacie Thomas
President, Los Angeles NAACP 310-397-1171
PRESS RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
WILL NOT COMMIT TO SANCTIONING, OR PUNISHING THOSE WHO ENGAGED IN RACIST AND DISCRIMINATORY ACTS AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS
It has come to the attention of the Southern California community that members of the University of California San Diego’s IFC mostly PIKE Fraternity over the President Day holiday weekend threw a racially incendiary party in dishonor of Black History month, aka “Compton Cookout.” This event was intended and did expose the true feeling of a group of people, who either are racist, who acted out their beliefs, or people who say they are not racist, but engaged in acts that were racist.
However, the acts and actions of these individual students is not as applauding to the broader African-American community than: (1) Where this incident took place, which was at the University of California San Diego, and (2) The response of the University Officials and its faculty. This is so because universities are general places of tolerance, enlightenment, and social acceptance. Further the UCs are public universities supported by taxpayers, and should reflect the melting pot of people, who make up the diverse State of California.
Secondly, when racist acts are tolerated in our public and private schools, and university by our young students and adults there should be a higher sense of urgency to arrest such acts and actions, because no school or university should be seen as condoning, tolerating, or acquiescing in racist conduct, since these are our learning institutions, and one of the primary tenets of education is the display and teaching of equality for all persons.
The University president and faculty by not expressing that sanctions would be imposed on individuals engaging in these racist acts and actions send a less than clear message that such future reckless or intentional behavior will not be tolerated, which may embolden the perpetrators, and future perpetrators beliefs that they will not suffer any serious consequences concerning acts of discrimination and racism, which may cause such actors to act out their racist tendencies in the future.
This is so frightening because the entire San Diego campus has approximately 450 African-American students out of a student population of 22,500. This makes an already bad campus climate for African-American students even more frightening. Without a stronger stance by the university president and its faculty the University of California San Diego is expressly telling California that African-Americans are not welcome there.
Leon Jenkins Contact : Vacie Thomas
President, Los Angeles NAACP 310-397-1171
PRESS RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
WILL NOT COMMIT TO SANCTIONING, OR PUNISHING THOSE WHO ENGAGED IN RACIST AND DISCRIMINATORY ACTS AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS
It has come to the attention of the Southern California community that members of the University of California San Diego’s IFC mostly PIKE Fraternity over the President Day holiday weekend threw a racially incendiary party in dishonor of Black History month, aka “Compton Cookout.” This event was intended and did expose the true feeling of a group of people, who either are racist, who acted out their beliefs, or people who say they are not racist, but engaged in acts that were racist.
However, the acts and actions of these individual students is not as applauding to the broader African-American community than: (1) Where this incident took place, which was at the University of California San Diego, and (2) The response of the University Officials and its faculty. This is so because universities are general places of tolerance, enlightenment, and social acceptance. Further the UCs are public universities supported by taxpayers, and should reflect the melting pot of people, who make up the diverse State of California.
Secondly, when racist acts are tolerated in our public and private schools, and university by our young students and adults there should be a higher sense of urgency to arrest such acts and actions, because no school or university should be seen as condoning, tolerating, or acquiescing in racist conduct, since these are our learning institutions, and one of the primary tenets of education is the display and teaching of equality for all persons.
The University president and faculty by not expressing that sanctions would be imposed on individuals engaging in these racist acts and actions send a less than clear message that such future reckless or intentional behavior will not be tolerated, which may embolden the perpetrators, and future perpetrators beliefs that they will not suffer any serious consequences concerning acts of discrimination and racism, which may cause such actors to act out their racist tendencies in the future.
This is so frightening because the entire San Diego campus has approximately 450 African-American students out of a student population of 22,500. This makes an already bad campus climate for African-American students even more frightening. Without a stronger stance by the university president and its faculty the University of California San Diego is expressly telling California that African-Americans are not welcome there.
More people speak out on the UCSD "Compton Cook Out"
Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III
Assistant Speaker pro Tempore
52nd Assembly District
State Capitol, Room 6025 ˜ Sacramento, CA 95814
2200 W. Artesia Boulevard, Suite 210 ˜ Compton, CA 90220
www.assembly.ca.gov/hall
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Terry Schanz
February 17, 2010 916-319-2052
MEDIA ADVISORY
Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III Stands with
Fellow Legislators in Condemning Racist and Sexist “Compton Cookout” Event
Hall to join members of the Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, LGBT and Women’s Caucuses in calling for action against intolerance
SACRAMENTO – Assistant Speaker pro Tempore Isadore Hall, III (D-Compton) will stand unified with fellow legislators to publicly condemn a racially offensive student event hosted this past weekend by students of UC San Diego.
The event called the, ‘Compton Cookout’ was organized by members of various Greek fraternal organizations and encouraged participants to mock Black History Month by promoting negative and offensive racial and gender stereotypes.
Text of the ‘Compton Cookout’ invitation is attached for reference.
Legislators will call upon university officials to investigate the organizers of the event and determine what sanctions; including suspension should be taken against the fraternity or fraternities responsible for the event.
WHO: Assistant Speaker pro Tempore Isadore Hall, III (D- Compton)
Speaker Karen Bass (D- Los Angeles)
Speaker-Elect John A. Pérez (D – Los Angeles)
Members of the Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, LGBT and Women’s
Caucuses
WHAT: Press conference condemning racist and sexist ‘Compton Cookout’ held by students of UC San Diego.
WHERE: South Steps, State Capitol
Sacramento, CA
WHEN: Thursday, February 18, 2010
11:00 AM or upon adjournment of Floor session
# # #
Assistant Speaker pro Tempore
52nd Assembly District
State Capitol, Room 6025 ˜ Sacramento, CA 95814
2200 W. Artesia Boulevard, Suite 210 ˜ Compton, CA 90220
www.assembly.ca.gov/hall
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Terry Schanz
February 17, 2010 916-319-2052
MEDIA ADVISORY
Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III Stands with
Fellow Legislators in Condemning Racist and Sexist “Compton Cookout” Event
Hall to join members of the Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, LGBT and Women’s Caucuses in calling for action against intolerance
SACRAMENTO – Assistant Speaker pro Tempore Isadore Hall, III (D-Compton) will stand unified with fellow legislators to publicly condemn a racially offensive student event hosted this past weekend by students of UC San Diego.
The event called the, ‘Compton Cookout’ was organized by members of various Greek fraternal organizations and encouraged participants to mock Black History Month by promoting negative and offensive racial and gender stereotypes.
Text of the ‘Compton Cookout’ invitation is attached for reference.
Legislators will call upon university officials to investigate the organizers of the event and determine what sanctions; including suspension should be taken against the fraternity or fraternities responsible for the event.
WHO: Assistant Speaker pro Tempore Isadore Hall, III (D- Compton)
Speaker Karen Bass (D- Los Angeles)
Speaker-Elect John A. Pérez (D – Los Angeles)
Members of the Asian Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, LGBT and Women’s
Caucuses
WHAT: Press conference condemning racist and sexist ‘Compton Cookout’ held by students of UC San Diego.
WHERE: South Steps, State Capitol
Sacramento, CA
WHEN: Thursday, February 18, 2010
11:00 AM or upon adjournment of Floor session
# # #
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
