The California State University (CSU) has announced that the central office of its new Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Student Achievement Program will be housed at Sacramento State.
Established by California legislation and added to the California Education Code in 2022, the CSU AANHPI Student Achievement Program seeks to enhance student educational experiences and promote higher education success for underserved and first-generation AANHPI students and other underrepresented students. The legislation also established a similar program at the California Community Colleges.
The new Sacramento-based systemwide office will receive $8 million annually from the state, much of which will be distributed to CSU campuses in the form of grants to create culturally appropriate academic and social programming and other services. The statewide central office will also support campuses through outreach, statewide and regional trainings and curriculum development.
“The launch of this exciting new program enables the CSU to expand critical support for our AANHPI students across California," said Dilcie Perez, associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs, Equity and Belonging at the CSU Chancellor's Office. “With its proven track record of support for Asian American and Pacific Islander students, Sacramento State is well-positioned to serve as the systemwide hub for these efforts to improve student success, close equity gaps and enhance student well-being for the CSU's diverse student population."
Sacramento State was selected as the program's systemwide central office following a CSU-led RFP process. The university enrolls one of the largest AANHPI student populations in the CSU and has been a federally designated Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) for more than a decade.
In addition, a number of programs on the Sacramento campus are recognized for fostering student achievement, including the university's nationally recognized Full Circle Project that works to retain and graduate APIDA and low-income students through peer support, community engagement and a heightened sense of belonging. In February 2023, the university expanded these support efforts with the opening of its Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Center.
The CSU educates the most ethnically, economically and academically diverse student body in the nation, with more than 16 percent of its 460,000 students being Asian or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Fourteen of the CSU's 23 campuses are designated AANAPISI, allowing them to compete for federal and private grants that strengthen student success for underserved communities.
About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards nearly 130,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.