Access and equity issues at UCLA in a post-affirmative action era

Abstract

This study investigates the admissions of Chicano/Latinos and African American students in a post affirmative action era at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Data was collected and analyzed from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) from 1989-2008 it examines admission trends of students from the fore mentioned-communities and the impact of eliminating affirmative action programs at UCLA. This dissertation concludes that the elimination of affirmative action programs has decreased underrepresented students at UCLA. However, the impact varies by community. For Chicano/Latino students their representation at UCLA dropped after the elimination of affirmative action but later recovered, although their representation at UCLA still remains a challenge. For African American Students, their numbers and percentages are meager and with the elimination of affirmative action, their representation has dwindled even furthered. The dissertation explores how a public university like UCLA can ignore a large proportion of students when these two groups together comprise a large sector of K-12 population in the state. As such, this study questions not only the commitment of UCLA, but also of K-12 institutions, in making these students competitive to gain admissions at this highly selective public state university.