University of California, San Diego today announced a handful of new ways it will try to convince black students who are accepted to the university to actually enroll. Doing so could help combat one factor that has historically limited its black enrollment: The low likelihood that black students who are accepted will choose UCSD.
Public universities in California are barred from giving students any kind of tangible benefit based on race, which can complicate the question of how to recruit and lure black students. Private schools don’t have the same restrictions and can freely offer scholarship or other perks.
The new strategies include an overnight program for admitted black students and a publication highlighting the black community at UCSD produced by the Black Student Union, which will be mailed to all black students who are admitted to the university. Marye Anne Fox, UCSD’s chancellor, said this in a press release:
These initiatives encourage prospective students to discover the exceptional opportunities for the world-class educational experience that UC San Diego offers. These new programs, in addition to our existing efforts, will help to ensure a more diverse student body and healthier campus climate.
— EMILY ALPERT