A Closer Look at CSU Remediation
Recent articles, and The Times’ editorial comments, have created considerable concern about the extent of remediation at Cal State Northridge and other CSU campuses. In particular, CSU is under criticism for spending resources to correct the mathematics and English deficiencies of new college students. I should like to turn that around and point out that at least someone is doing something about a widespread societal problem.
I suppose the CSU campuses could increase their entrance standards and turn these students away, thereby shifting the problem to someone else. Alternatively, we could lower exit standards and allow students to proceed to graduation with their deficiencies intact.
No, we chose to maintain our exit standards and, faced with the problem, to employ corrective measures. That, to us, is preferable to allowing potentially productive people to go to waste. Critics of the CSU approach might well ask themselves what they are doing to correct problems in education other than complaining and pointing fingers at others.
WILLIAM R. HOSEK
Hosek is dean of the school of business administration and economics at CSUN
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