New Emphasis at Cal State U: Academic Aid to Minorities

A Cal State University vice chancellor who called a 40% Latino drop-out rate in the 19-campus system academically “immoral” said Wednesday that he has proposed $18 million in new programs for the next two years, to improve the academic success of minority students.

John Bedell, associate vice chancellor in charge of academic affairs for the university system, said that Chancellor W. Ann Reynolds has made a commitment this year to addressing the drop-out rate among minority students, especially blacks and Latinos.

“I think it’s immoral and it should not continue anymore,” Bedell said.

Bedell was invited to speak to Los Amigos de Anaheim, a Latino-oriented group, about how the Cal State system was dealing with the needs of Latino students, a Los Amigos spokesman said.

A national survey released in May by the Hispanic Policy Development Project showed that about 45% of the Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans who enter public high schools never finish, compared to 17% of Anglo students.

About 40% of all Latino students who leave school do so before the 10th grade, and few of those who leave ever return, the study found.

Recruitment Part of Plan

The new emphasis at Cal State represents interest on the part of the chancellor’s office in Long Beach in innovative programs designed to recruit more minority students and to improve their chances of academic success.

Three of the system’s new programs are Summer Bridge, by which minority youngsters “bridge” the gap between high school and college through summer visits to colleges, Intensive Learning Experience, in which course-deficient transfer students receive intensive instruction, and a graduate fellowship program for minorities.

In response to a question, Bedell said Cal State Fullerton is the only campus in the system that does not apply for funds for the graduate program, but Jack Coleman, Fullerton’s vice president of academic affairs, said that 60 minority youths are enrolled there in the Summer Bridge program and that the campus is preparing to help minority transfer students this fall.

Coleman said the application deadline for the graduate program was missed because of an oversight. “Our first interest is to get more blacks and Latino students, but somehow the individual who picks out the programs simply missed it. It’s our error,” he said.

Already $9 million has been approved for the programs this year, and another $9 million is proposed for next year, Bedell said.

In addition, Bedell said, the chancellor’s office will push for more academic counselors, minority student tutors to help other minorities and parent-involvement programs.

Reaching Latinos in the home at a young age to get them “academically oriented” and offering financial aid are two factors crucial to the success of Latinos in school, he said.

Bedell said that by the time such students reach a university, “it’s too late” to improve motivation.

“We need to get down to the early grades, like eighth and seventh grade, and start to invite these youngsters for visits to college campuses. That’s why we started Summer Bridge.” Bedell said.

Latinos make up 11% of the 330,000 students enrolled in the California State University system. Bedell said that only about 7% of graduates are Latinos, while more than 50% are Anglos.