UC Chancellor Touts Diversity
07:49 AM PDT on Tuesday, July 11, 2006
By MICHELLE DeARMOND
The Press-Enterprise
MORONGO RESERVATION - The chancellor of UC Berkeley, who has made boosting student diversity a hallmark of his two-year tenure, brought his pitch to tribal leaders and students at an Inland reservation Monday.
Robert J. Birgeneau told a few dozen young people from several tribes that he wants to see American Indian enrollment rates at his campus and others in California climb despite the state's ban on affirmative-action admission policies at public colleges.
"We're very serious about changing the situation in California," said Birgeneau, a Canadian aboriginal who said his own roots have inspired him to have a "deep interest" in the welfare of American Indians.
Minority enrollments at many public California colleges and universities plummeted several years ago after voters essentially outlawed affirmative action in hiring and admissions at public institutions.
Some campuses have seen those numbers climb in recent years, although American Indian rates tend to be miniscule, but admissions departments still are forbidden from considering race or ethnicity in applications.
Birgeneau called the law approved by voters in 1996, known as Prop. 209, a horrendous thing that has prompted schools to try new kinds of outreach to prepare and attract minorities.
Supporters of Prop. 209 have said minorities should not get preferences in admissions and that all Californians should have equal opportunities.
Birgeneau said all students benefit by attending school with native people, who bring knowledge of their culture and the country's history with them.
Birgeneau, who served previously as the president of the University of Toronto, said he was surprised to see how few American Indians are enrolled in California universities.
College enrollment among American Indians nationwide has increased in recent years, but remains far below the rest of the population and low compared with other minority groups. The numbers have been fairly constant at Inland campuses.
Despite the diversity of most Inland area campuses, American Indians are the least-represented minority at the region's public universities -- barely reaching a full percentage point.
According to the California Postsecondary Education Commission, American Indians were 0.3 percent of students at UC Riverside in 2005 and 0.8 percent at Cal State San Bernardino in the same year. At Cal State San Marcos, American Indians were 0.9 percent of students and at Cal Poly Pomona, they were 0.3 percent of students.
With a few dozen students and tribal leaders from throughout the Inland area gathered at the Morongo Band of Mission Indians' community center, Birgeneau urged the young people to study, get good SAT scores and seek out extracurricular activities that will help with their college applications.
"Anything is possible for anyone if you work hard enough," said Birgeneau, a physicist who was the first in his family to graduate from high school.
Sarah Cook, a 12-year-old Morongo tribal member who said she is taught at home, was surprised to learn how important SAT scores can be.
"It makes you want to do really good on it," she said, adding that she hopes her martial arts training looks good on a college application.
Birgeneau's message of inclusion and the comments featured on a promotional video he brought convinced her the school welcomes diversity -- something she and her other friends were concerned about.
"Be proud of being Native American -- don't worry about fitting in," she said of the day's message.
Lena Chavez, a 13-year-old Morongo tribal member who lives in Beaumont, said she hopes the tribe's support of higher education might sway her mother, who would rather see Chavez get a retail job after high school.
"I want to go to college and I want to be something, but I know it's going to be hard, too," she said.
Staff writer Marisa Agha contributed to this report.
Reach Michelle DeArmond at 951-368-9441 or mdearmond@PE.com.
Paul Alvarez / The Press Enterprise
Robert J. Birgeneau, the chancellor of UC Berkeley, right, shares a laugh with Maurice Lyons, Morongo Band of Mission Indians chairman, during Birgeneau's visit to the reservation Monday.