“Diverse Issues in Higher Education” analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics to rank universities according to on-campus diversity in June 2009.
This year Cal Poly’s rankings improved in several categories: from No. 6 to No. 4 in agriculture degrees awarded to Hispanics, from No. 47 to No. 36 in computer and information sciences degrees awarded to Asian Americans and from No. 79 to No. 78 in all degrees awarded to Hispanics.
It also ranked for the first time as:
No. 5 in architecture degrees awarded to all minorities
No. 5 in architecture degrees awarded to Asian Americans and Hispanics
No. 29 in mathematics and statistics degrees awarded to Hispanics
No. 37 in agriculture degrees awarded to African Americans
But the magazine worsened the school’s rankings in five areas:
No. 5 to No. 6 in agriculture degrees awarded to Asian Americans
No. 9 to No. 12 in engineering degrees awarded to minorities
No. 12 to No. 14 in engineering degrees awarded to Asian Americans
No. 9 to No. 19 in engineering degrees awarded to American Indians
No. 50 to No. 53 in degrees awarded to Asian Americans
The CSU system “prides itself on creating access to higher education,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed in a press release. “Our trustees, presidents, faculty, staff and students have worked to create welcoming and inclusive campuses – resulting in a university system that reflects the rich diversity of the state of California.”
But Cal Poly doesn’t come close to matching California’s diversity.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in 2007 that African Americans made up 6.7 percent of the California population, compared to only 1.1 percent of Cal Poly undergraduates, according to a fact sheet updated in July 2009 on the CSU Mentor Web site.
36.2 percent of Californians were of Hispanic or Latino origin in 2007, compared to 11.4 percent of Cal Poly undergraduates in 2009.
I attended a homogeneous high school; about 10 percent of my graduating class came to Cal Poly, so it wasn’t a big change when I moved to San Luis Obispo, where 65.2 percent of the undergraduate population is white, according to CSU Mentor.
Have you found that your classes are diverse? Does it depend on your major or year? Should Cal Poly be concerned about racial diversity on campus and if so, what should the school do?
Did anyone else find that there are majors more diverse than others?
Four years ago I inquired the Admissions office about their recruiting efforts, which is Hometown Heroes, because I personally felt deceived by the racial diversity on campus. It felt alienating to have come from, also, a homogeneous school (non white), and brought to Cal Poly, where the Admissions office had advertised diversity, but had done little effort to expose students to organizations involved in it. We (my peers and I, of different ethnicities) had to find out own way, which was difficult and not without periods of loneliness, and there are definitely a fair share of students who\’ve inherited their parents\’ bigotry (crops house banner).
I\’m not sure of how Cal Poly itself can do, but their support of multi cultural programs is vital in recruiting and retaining minorities.
"The big buzzword on campus is diversity, diversity, diversity… We talk about having diversity of skin color. We talk about having different ethnicities come to campus… The university is completely ignoring diversity of thought." -Steven Hinkle, Cal Poly Alumni
I’m not entirely convinced that Cal Poly has changed that much since Stephen Hinkle faced a 7 hour long judicial hearing for posting a flyer in the multi-cultural center in the UU. Just two years ago, Smile and Nod had their shows canceled for the greater part of a quarter because they had a picture of a guy laughing that might have been mistook for an antebellum minstrel show. The lies that the university spread around the ‘crops house’ incident show that the university isn’t above lying and breaking the law to preserve it’s image. Combined, these two factors have a chilling effect on all others who might want to speak on truly controversial issues. Which is the reason I am posting this anonymously.
Maybe you could enlighten the rest of us of the ‘lies’ Poly spread? As a fellow anonymous student, I’m eager to hear.
Tea Party at Congresswoman Lois Capps
NOON Saturday Aug 23rd
1411 Marsh Street, Suite 205
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-2957
Voice: 805-546-8348
The Cons are trying to ambush…
Don’t kid yourself guys…Cal Poly SLO has got to be one of the least diverse and least culturally accepting campus in the state. It’s quite a different picture than what was advertised during recruitement.
Maybe Cal Poly INC should go back to being a school…
Why is it that being recognized as "diverse" (or specifically "culturally diverse") is the "standard of acceptability" for college campuses? If there is a preponderance of whites does that automatically relagate the school to a state of academic and or social unacceptability? (certainly implied above). Apparently the focus on classwork, homework and labwork has become passee. Beware of this trend as students will find that the workplace has "diversity" as the mantra of focus to the detriment of the company. Why? "They" have extended the boundaries of "diversity" to include basically any quality that prevents any potential for alienating anyone no matter how ridiculous the measure. (e.g. attire, behavior in the workplace, verbal/written content etc, etc.)
Bottom line is, nobody can be wrong, unacceptable or offensive. Well unless you happen to be a conservative white guy!