Inclusive Excellence

Commitment to Local Access

Southeastern Los Angeles County, including the City of Long Beach, is one of the most diverse regions of the U.S. and we are committed to maintaining pathways for all local students. CSULB has long maintained a commitment to fostering local access to higher education. The College Promise offers ways for students from Long Beach and several surrounding school districts to prepare for, enter, and complete a high quality college degree at an affordable cost.

Improving Graduation Rates

The Division of Academic Affairs provides campus leadership to become among the most successful four-year public institutions at improving graduation rates and reducing opportunity gaps for all students.

CSULB’s six-year graduation rate has reached historic highs, far above national averages for public comprehensive universities and above CSU system averages. The campus has had steady improvement every year since 2005. The first-time student opportunity gap for historically underserved students was reduced by nearly one-half and gaps for low-income students by a similar amount. The transfer graduation rate is at a historic high with no gap at all for both low income and historically underserved students. A March 2016 report by the Education Trust commended Long Beach for reducing the opportunity gap, and this work continues to be a university priority.

Recruiting Faculty for Student Success

The University strives to recruit faculty members who will be effective teachers for all students on campus. 

Faculty Affairs provides workshops for search committees that focus on recruiting highly qualified candidates of all backgrounds and with varied life experience through advertising, networking, and other forms of outreach. The University is committed to providing equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discriminatory practices.

Human Diversity Curriculum

The study of human diversity in the U.S. has been a required component of the General Education program at CSULB since 1993. Currently there are 75 active Human Diversity courses scheduled across a range of departments, programs and colleges. In addition, hundreds of courses include skills and knowledge related the history and cultures of diverse peoples, including those offered through Africana Studies, American Indian Studies, Asian and Asian American Studies, Chicano and Latino Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Religious Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Many graduate programs also offer curriculum on race, gender, and class. Examples include the MA in Social and Cultural Analysis of Education (SCAE 500, History of Social and Educational (In)Equality) and the MS in Health Science (HSC 507, Health Equity and Health Disparities Research in the US).

Training for Faculty

There are many voluntary opportunities for faculty to further develop teaching approaches that address the needs of students from a variety of backgrounds, learning styles, and abilities. Many of these resources were developed over time with the assistance of numerous campus experts.

Volunteer teaching training opportunities for faculty include:

• Workshops led each semester by CSULB’s Faculty Center on inclusive teaching topics for all CSULB faculty
• New tenure-track faculty training specific to cultural competence and inclusive teaching
• Grant-specific cultural competence and inclusive teaching programming for discipline-based faculty/student activities.
• Certificate and training programs offered by various constituent groups, including – but not limited to – the following:
  • Accessibility Training
  • Beach Wellness Trainings

Training for Staff

There are many opportunities for staff to develop approaches that address the needs of students from a variety of backgrounds, learning styles, and abilities. Many of these resources are available to CSULB staff via the CSU Learning & Development website.