Ethnic Studies is an important part of the CSU’s mission to "prepare students for an international, multicultural society" and "promote an understanding and appreciation of the peoples, natural environment, cultures, economies, and diversity of the world."Ethnic Studies offers students the opportunity to study the historical development and social significance of race and ethnicity in the United States and to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for success in an increasingly diverse environment.
The work of the Ethnic Studies Task Force focused on the portfolio of CSU programs under the broad rubric of Ethnic Studies:
- African American Studies/Africana Studies/Pan African Studies/Black Studies
- Asian American Studies
- Chicano Studies/Latina/o/x Studies
- Native American Studies/American Indian Studies/Indigenous Peoples Studies Ethnic Studies
The report (PDF) submitted in November 2017 by the Task Force on the Advancement of Ethnic Studies:
- provided an overview of the origins and histories of Ethnic Studies programs in the CSU within a national context.
- identified the trends in the campus's programs within the context of institutional support and the national climate, particularly over the previous eight to 10 years.
- proposed systemwide recommendations that were responsive to the mission of the CSU and to the needs of our students, California and society in general. This included examining the CSU’s degrees, majors and minors/concentrations as well as the resources, staffing, administrative infrastructures, and finding cost-effective and equitable approaches that sustain and advance Ethnic Studies while also enhancing program quality and inclusive excellence.