During a joint legislative hearing last week both the CSU and the UC were given an opportunity to share with the legislature steps being taken at both universities to ensure diversity needs are being met in light of recent budget cuts.

The hearing was held by the Assembly Higher Education Committee, the Latino Caucus, the Black Caucus, and the Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus and was well attended by members of the committee and caucuses.

Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, chair of the Higher Education committee, addressed the dreams of his family and all families for a better life for their children, as well as the Governor’s cuts effect on those dreams. Assembly member Sandre Swanson, chair of the Black Caucus, emphasized education as an investment, and requested the group share strategies their universities had taken in regards to outreach that is working in underserved communities.

The hearing focused mainly on the UC’s new eligibility proposal with Assembly member Mary Salas addressing the importance of the role of the UC in helping make California one of the greatest economies of the world. Given the current economic downturn there was a focus on how both the UC and the CSU need to be made a priority in order to avoid further economic slippage.

Invited speaker, Dennis Jones, from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, centered his remarks on how California has an education capital deficit, and how the states money is spent determines who is educated and how. He noted that California is losing ground in educational attainment measures and that today’s 25-34 year olds are the first generation to have less education than their parents in California.

By 2025 the state will need 70 percent more graduates than its current total from all three segments to be globally competitive. Without meeting this goal, per capita income will drop below the national average, and he believes California will continue to have declining tax revenues. He believes the state and its universities should work to preserve access, ensure success, and allocate sufficient resources to keep from digging a deeper hole than California is already in.

Allison Jones, the CSU’s Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Academic Support and Jorge Haynes, the CSU’s Senior Director for External Relations spoke on behalf of the CSU. Mr. Haynes focused on the CSU’s current outreach efforts into underserved communities and most particularly how the university is helping students become eligible for college. He pointed to data that showed the dwindling numbers of students in all ethnic groups from high school entrance to graduation to enrollment in college. Several members lauded the CSU for the work being done with our underserved communities and K-12 schools and noted that they should serve as best practice models for others.

Following these presentations, the taskforce spent some time discussing the possibility that a correlation of the falling numbers might be an issue arising out of the K-12 arena and not solely as a result of college admittance. Given this information the legislative members are giving some consideration to hosting a separate hearing on K-12 college readiness as well as looking into ways of replicating best practices.

The hearing which brought to the table all three public higher education segments in California as well as members from organizations such as the National Hispanic University, the Greenlining Institute and the University of Phoenix concluded with a commitment to discuss ways in which current outreach can be maintained as well as expansion of future outreach to underserved communities.