May 20, 1998 Contact: Francine Tyler/Jim Burns (408) 459-2495
UC SANTA CRUZ EXPECTS TO INCREASE SIZE, DIVERSITY OF ITS 1998 FRESHMAN CLASS 'Statement of Intent to Register' figures forecast freshman enrollment of 2,532
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SANTA CRUZ, CA--More than 2,500 students have indicated they are planning to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz, as freshmen this coming fall. The entering class is expected to be more ethnically diverse in spite of new regulations that eliminated the use of race and ethnicity from the university's admissions decisions.
Actual enrollment numbers for freshmen--and the entire student body--will not be known until classes begin this fall. But according to information released today (Wednesday, May 20) by UC's Office of the President, UCSC received "intent to register" notices from 2,532 prospective freshmenQup from the 2,257 who indicated at this time last year that they planned to enroll in fall 1997. Actual freshman enrollment this past fall quarter was 2,127.
Previously admitted high school seniors had until May 1 to file a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) form with UCSC--or with other UC campuses.
Of the total number of freshman SIRs received by UCSC, 438 identified themselves as African American, Chicano, Latino, or American Indian--students whose ethnicities are underrepresented in the UC system--compared to 352 in these ethnic groups last year. (For a breakdown of ethnicities, see table, attached.)
In addition, 421 of UCSC's prospective freshmen identified themselves as Asian/Asian American or Filipino/Filipino American, compared to 369 last year. Although not underrepresented in the UC system, these ethnicities are underrepresented at UCSC.
The increase in the number of underrepresented students comes despite passage of Proposition 209 by state voters in November 1996 and SP-1 by UC's Board of Regents in July 1995. Within the University of California system, both measures banned the use of race, ethnicity, and gender in admissions decisions.
"In no small part the reason that the underrepresented student numbers increased this fall was the extra efforts made by our student organizations and their members to lay out a welcome mat for our prospective students," said M.R.C. Greenwood, chancellor of UCSC. "Faculty and staff efforts were also essential to our success-- writing letters, making telephone calls, and meeting with visitors to our campus."
"We're extremely pleased with the new fall class," added Francisco J. Hernandez, UCSC's vice chancellor for student affairs. "These are wonderful students, they represent the state well, and we're looking forward to having them here."
With assistance from the Chancellor's Office and the Office of the President, Student Affairs funded $78,000 in student-initiated outreach activities this past fall, said J. Michael Thompson, associate vice chancellor for enrollment management and director of admissions at UCSC. The students spoke at their former high schools and community colleges, acted as hosts for applicants visiting the campus, and participated in phonathons and events they had created.
For many years, UCSC has accepted all students who apply to the campus and are eligible for UC admission. Starting with the admissions process for fall 1999, UCSC will no longer have room to admit all students who apply and are eligible, Thompson said.
Editor's Note: Francisco J. Hernandez or J. Michael Thompson are available to discuss the latest admissions data with reporters. To schedule an interview, contact the Public Information Office at (408) 459-2495.
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University of California, Santa Cruz Freshman SIRs (Fall 1998)
Ethnic Distribution This Year Last Year % Change
Underrepresented at UC
African American/Black 61 52 17
Amer. Indian/Alaska Nat. 27 20 35
Chicano/Mexican Amer. 251 199 26
Latino/Other Span. Amer. 99 81 22
Subtotal 438 352 24
Also Underrepresented at UCSC
Filipino/Filipino Amer. 96 85 13
Asian/Asian Amer. 325 284 14
Subtotal 421 369 14
Other
White/Other 1,197 1,396 -14
Declined to State 476 140 340
Subtotal 1,673 1,536 9
Total 2,532 2,257 12
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