Prop.209 allows diversity

Recent history has witnessed the passage of political propositions and educational policies that address racial diversity within state institutions, including Cal State Long Beach.

Passed by voters in 1996, Proposition 209 stated that institutions cannot discriminate or show preference based on gender or race. In a related endeavor, UC Regents enacted a policy that race and gender cannot be considered in any way.

Lori Gailey

Fortunately, Proposition 209 allows for the consideration of gender or race. This is important when building a student body. The characteristics of a successful class of students are not based solely on SAT scores and GPA ratings.

These policies have had varied effects on state universities. CSULB has seen its admission of minorities rise slightly while UCLA, one of the UC system's most selective campuses, has shown a dramatic decline in minority admission.

An important part of education is learning to understand, cooperate and interact successfully with a variety of people. For this reason, when building a student body, diversity must be considered.

Each individual brings different life experiences to campus. When these perspectives are shared and illustrated through class discussion and student interaction, an enduring level of education occurs.

Students at CSULB enjoy a demographic diversity that is reflective of the community in which it resides and every student benefits from this diversity.

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