Plan to Phase Out Remedial CSU Classes Is Attacked : Education: Critics warn trustees that toughening admissions requirements could result in masses of students being turned away.

A proposal to phase out remedial education in the California State University system by substantially toughening admissions requirements came under heavy fire Tuesday from students, a group of state lawmakers and Latino activists during its initial hearing.

During a California State University Board of Trustees committee meeting, the three groups of critics all warned that the controversial proposal could result in masses of students being turned away. And the leader of about 50 Latinos who staged a vocal demonstration went further, calling it “legalized segregation.”

Under the plan, the 22-campus system would work to help improve public schools. But beginning in 2001, CSU would begin denying admission to freshmen lacking college-level English and math skills. Today, that would disqualify about 60% of CSU freshmen, and heavily impact minorities.

“The basic goals are goals I think everyone can support,” said Trustee and former state Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy, referring to the desire for better-qualified students. “The question is how can we get there without scaring everyone half to death and closing the doors of opportunity.”

Trustees gave little public indication of their intentions Tuesday, other than insisting the proposal is not aimed at shutting out students or disenfranchising minorities. But they did promise to hold two public hearings--one in Northern California and another in Southern California--on the proposal this fall before a scheduled vote in January.

But during a more than hourlong hearing Tuesday, the board received what appeared to be a taste of what is expected to come. Apart from the Latino demonstrators, the California State Student Assn., which represents the system’s 320,000 students, formally declared its opposition to the proposal.

“The plan is in direct contradiction to the CSU’s main mission of preserving access for California’s citizens to a higher education. We cannot support a policy in whole or in part that is so fundamentally opposed to what CSSA stands for,” said CSSA Chairman Marc Levine, the student president at Cal State Northridge.

Additionally, a group of 18 Democratic state assemblymen and senators sent a letter to the board acknowledging that public schools need drastic improvements but adding, “Simply to announce that California State University plans to close the gates to tens of thousands of students is not the answer.”

The group instead urged CSU officials to support a special session of the state Legislature to deal with “the overall crisis of higher education.” The principal authors were Assemblywoman Marguerite Archie-Hudson of Los Angeles and state Sen. Tom Hayden of Santa Monica, both prominent on education issues.

But the most vocal complaints came from the Latino demonstrators, a collection of Cal State students, community college students and even young children who accused trustees of being insensitive to minority concerns and ignorant of just how bad inner city public schools have become.

“It’s not going to work. I can’t believe you believe it’s going to work in a five-year period,” said Sofia Quinones, the group’s leader, referring to the proposal’s timeline for public schools to bring students up to new CSU standards. “If you pass this proposal, that is legalized segregation.”

The potential 60% disqualification figure is based on the number of freshmen who in 1993 failed entry placement tests in English, math or both. Under the proposed policy, passing those tests or some similar assessment would become an admissions requirement in 2001.