Latino and black community college students transfer to four-year universities less often than their white and Asian counterparts, according to a study released this month by the California Senate Office of Research.

"I always thought it was more due to socioeconomic factors,' lead researcher Robert Wassmer, an economist at Cal State Sacramento, said. "But once we controlled for that, (the trend) still continued. That really is the important thing in the study. It points to (the likelihood) that something is cultural.'

This could include discrimination ranging from blatant to subtle messages that discourage students from trying to transfer.

"It's not uncommon for advisers and counselors to look at Latino students as 'not college material,'' Cal State San Bernardino sociology professor Elsa Valdez said.

Mary Texeira, who heads Cal State's ethnic studies department, said minority students often drop out because, "They don't feel they belong or that the culture isn't Latino-friendly or African-American friendly.'

Cultural factors could play a role too, researchers said. Previous research suggests that while Latino parents value education, they may encourage their children to stay close to home or work to help support the family.

Valdez disagreed.

"Education is important to Latinos in general,' Valdez said. "But given the economy, many of them have to work full-time. I think it's more economic than cultural.'

Lack of role models, Wassmer said, may also discourage black and Latino students from continuing their educations.

"If your parents have a B.A. degree, you're more likely to get a B.A. degree,' Wassmer said. "On average, African-Americans and Latinos are less likely to have those degrees.'

High school curriculum seems to play the greatest role in determining whether a student will get a bachelor's degree, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Other factors that increase transfer rates include: higher educational expectations, fewer outside commitments, financial aid and an academic as opposed to vocational emphasis at the community college.

The study also found younger students and men are more likely to transfer. This may reflect greater work and family obligations for older, female students.

The researchers used a mathematical model to calculate each colleges' expected transfer rate. This factored in things like students' academic preparedness, the proportion of students younger than 25, the proximity of the college to a Cal State campus and the per-capita income and unemployment rate in the county where the college is located.

Comparing the actual and expected rate showed whether a college was transferring fewer or more students than it should be. The goal, of course, is to transfer more.

Students with an intent to transfer are, as defined by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, first-time students who attempted transfer-level math or English and completed at least 12 units in the California community college system. Using this method, the statewide transfer rate is 33.7 percent, as compared with 14.6 percent when including all first-time students.

The second stage of the research which is on hold because of lack of funding is to study community colleges with high transfer rates and figure out what they are doing right.

"If this group truly does face barriers in regard to transferring we need to be aware of it as a state and overcome it,' Wassmer said. "We're seeing a greater divide in California between the haves and the have nots. If this continues, that divide is going to grow wider.'

When they began the research about two years ago, he said, they discussed the need for comprehensive transfer centers.

'It's a pretty complicated system,' Wassmer said, "and even more complicated if you don't have a counselor.'

But given state budget cuts, money that was spend establishing these centers may be diverted to other programs.

"The bulk of that money is going to come out of student success programs,' said Rick Stewart, Barstow Community College's vice president of student services. "It's easier to cut programs than it is to cut classes.'

San Bernardino Valley College's transfer services center maintains records for all students with a transfer major and provides additional planning assistance to "underrepresented' students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university. The center has a computerized information system where students can access their grades, class schedules and other transfer information.

Victor Valley Communnity College in Victorville provides transfer services in its career center. Students can look up information about colleges, majors and transfer requirements. UC and Cal State applications are available.

Barstow Community College has a similar setup. Outreach workshops on applying for college are also held throughout the year.

Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa offers transfer services through its counseling center.