Affirmative-Action Update: Where Are All the Black Students?

DiversityInc.com ^ | July 24, 2006 | Compiled by the DiversityInc staff

[flowerplough]

Not at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Of nearly 10,000 black students who graduated from Los Angeles County high schools this past June, just 1 percent will attend UCLA, according to NPR's Morning Edition.

Why? For many, the culprit is Proposition 209, the 1996 anti-affirmative-action bill backed by former UC Regent Ward Connerly, which made it illegal to use race-based preferences in admissions, employment and contracting throughout the state. When Connerly's term ended in January 2005, his message was clear: Don't bring back affirmative action, according to Black Issues in Higher Education.

UC may not be able to reinstate affirmative action, but the devastating decline in black enrollment has spawned discussion about how to revive the university's diversity within the boundaries of the law.

While UC has admitted more students of color since an initial drop after Connerly's Proposition 209, the disparities are concerning. This year, black enrollment at UCLA will be the lowest in more than three decades—a 57 percent decline since 1996. Last year, Latinos comprised 17 percent of UC admissions, marking only a minor gain since 1997, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

[flowerplough]

"For many, the culprit is Proposition 209, the 1996 anti-affirmative-action bill backed by former UC Regent Ward Connerly, which made it illegal to use race-based preferences in admissions..."

Blacks need preferences???

I ask again, isn't Affirmative Action primarily free things for melanin and estrogen?

[Fenris6]

Where's the Affirmative Action to balance the decrease of males attending college? /s :P

[spinestein]

When the government categorizes people based on an arbitrary standard called "race" and then hands out money and opportunities based on that then how can it possibly be anything but RACISM?

[gaijin]

They keepin' it REAL! Don't want no suckah-jive EDJEECATION..!

[Tzimisce]

"UC may not be able to reinstate affirmative action, but the devastating decline in black enrollment has spawned discussion about how to revive the university's diversity within the boundaries of the law."

Hm....that is a puzzler. How do we legally discriminate against white people without making racial head counts?

[Menehune56]

UC may not be able to reinstate affirmative action, but the devastating decline in black enrollment has spawned discussion about how to revive the university's diversity within the boundaries of the law.

In what way is it this decline devastating? UCLA still has plenty of diversity, just not the exact type the organization publishing this tripe wants to see.

[avacado]

"For many, the culprit is Proposition 209, the 1996 anti-affirmative-action bill "

Noooooooo... the culprit is hard work, good grades, and personal responsibility. We all have an equal chance.

[litehaus]

The CREAM will rise to the top! The schoolyard bully/jive talker will be asking the geek for a job later in life.......

---

And never understand why he doesn't get the job.

[sasafras]

"Why? For many, the culprit is Proposition 209, the 1996 anti-affirmative-action bill backed by former UC Regent Ward Connerly, which made it illegal to use race-based preferences in admissions,"


Racism by any other name is still racism. Libs look at the world with racist colored glasses. Hate is all they stand for.

[siddude]

It's called competition. You either sink or swim.

[brain bleeds red]

For many, the culprit is Proposition 209...

This is the way liberals force their views on people. They state their misguided perspective, and then pretend many people believe it...tsk tsk...cmon liberals you can do better than that...

[SBprone]

UCLA is a tough ticket for prospective students of any color. And the UC system doesn't give a crap about letting students into a school near their family home. 100 black freshman from the LA area seems like a lot to me.

This is a good time to be a black high school senior applying for admission to the elite schools, including UCLA. Having "URM" status in addition to grades, test scores and extra-curriculars will take a kid a lot farther than without URM status. Fact is, elite schools fight like hell to get qualified black freshman.

[PeteB570]

I guess they are finally coming out and admitting that blacks can't get in on their own merit and accomplishments.

Hmmm, I think a person can achieve most anything they want if they apply themselves and work hard.

I wonder who has the racist views?

[Bigh4u2]

Did this person ever think that maybe the blacks are attending OTHER colleges and not UCLA because it they think it SUCKS!

[sweetliberty]

"isn't Affirmative Action primarily free things for melanin and estrogen?"

I always thought it was conferring the privileges of education and competence on individuals who are neither educated nor competent.

[Continental Soldier]

Maybe if we dumb down standards far enough, affirmative action won't be necessary at any school in the country.

[xenophiles]

Of nearly 10,000 black students who graduated from Los Angeles County high schools this past June, just 1 percent will attend UCLA [...] Why? For many, the culprit is Proposition 209, the 1996 anti-affirmative-action bill...

And... where are the numbers for 1995 and 1997? That's where the decline will be apparent, if this is the real cause. The fact that these numbers are not mentioned at all is enough to convince me that the author either a) didn't understand this simple logic, b) knew that these facts would not support the desired conclusion, or c) simply didn't care about accuracy.

And if we want a second helping of well-cooked statistics:

While UC has admitted more students of color since an initial drop after Connerly's Proposition 209, the disparities are concerning. This year, black enrollment at UCLA will be the lowest in more than three decades—a 57 percent decline since 1996. Last year, Latinos comprised 17 percent of UC admissions, marking only a minor gain since 1997...

Translation: 1) black enrollment has declined, but we don't know whether it's significant (we don't know the typical variance over ten years), 2) latin enrollment has risen (but again, we don't know whether it's significant), 3) "students of color" enrollment has fluctuated (meaningless).

[Warrior Nurse]

Not at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Of nearly 10,000 black students who graduated from Los Angeles County high schools this past June, just 1 percent will attend UCLA, according to NPR's Morning Edition. Why? For many, the culprit is Proposition 209, the 1996 anti-affirmative-action bill backed by former UC Regent Ward Connerly, which made it illegal to use race-based preferences in admissions, employment and contracting throughout the state. When Connerly's term ended in January 2005, his message was clear: Don't bring back affirmative action, according to Black Issues in Higher Education. UC may not be able to reinstate affirmative action, but the devastating decline in black enrollment has spawned discussion about how to revive the university's diversity within the boundaries of the law. While UC has admitted more students of color since an initial drop after Connerly's Proposition 209, the disparities are concerning. This year, black enrollment at UCLA will be the lowest in more than three decades—a 57 percent decline since 1996. Last year, Latinos comprised 17 percent of UC admissions, marking only a minor gain since 1997, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The culprit is simple they are not qualified to get into UCLA PERIOD. the 1% that are qualified get admitted. Wow imagine that what a concept and easily identifiable problem. I wonder if the 1% come from private or home schools. How come they don't tell us how many go to UC Davis or Santa Barbara or Chino or even Junior Colleges to get their grades up. Now looking at UCLA's football team you wouldn't think that 1% of the freshmen are black. That is another argument though.