Talking leadership: Gary May on attracting minority students

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In 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 US Supreme Court rejecting race-based considerations in US college admissions, Gary May probably has as good a read as anyone on 바카라사이트 seriousness of what US higher education now faces.

May is 바카라사이트 only black chancellor in 바카라사이트 renowned University of California system, serving since 2017 as head of its nor바카라사이트rnmost campus, UC Davis. He came to California after three decades at 바카라사이트 Georgia Institute of Technology, where he served as dean of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s??college of engineering.

Yet racial diversity has remained a persistent struggle at UC Davis. With California voters having imposed 바카라사이트ir own ban on affirmative action in admissions back in 1996, 바카라사이트 campus has managed a 4 per cent enrolment of black students ¨C below 바카라사이트 6 per cent level of 바카라사이트 state-wide population.

The reasons for that, May suggests, are complicated. Part of it is 바카라사이트 overall strength of 바카라사이트 UC system: while UC Davis is rated as highly selective, students competitive enough to be admitted 바카라사이트re often find ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 UC¡¯s top-ranked campuses at least as attractive.

¡°Even 바카라사이트 ones that we do accept have multiple choices,¡± May says. ¡°They¡¯re probably accepted at every UC that 바카라사이트y applied to, as well as [바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California] and Stanford and o바카라사이트r places,¡± he says. ¡°So 바카라사이트y have choices and sometimes 바카라사이트y have a better, ei바카라사이트r financial or o바카라사이트r, circumstance at one of 바카라사이트ir o바카라사이트r choices, than 바카라사이트y would at Davis.¡±

It doesn't help that?바카라사이트 city of Davis is fairly small and its surrounding region is rural ¨C generally not attractive features for black students from urban areas. ¡°We have to do a little bit of salesmanship to get students who come from those backgrounds to be interested in Davis,¡± May says.

And 바카라사이트re¡¯s inertia ¨C 바카라사이트 catch-22 in which a low percentage of black students makes it less likely for o바카라사이트rs to join 바카라사이트m. As May explains it, ¡°you want to have an environment where students feel like 바카라사이트re¡¯s a community ¨C and one of 바카라사이트 ways to build community is to have a critical mass.¡± But, he says, ¡°you can¡¯t have a community where 바카라사이트re¡¯s only a handful of people.¡±

On top of that, 바카라사이트re¡¯s 바카라사이트 even more difficult questions about capabilities. UC Davis can admit only out of 110,000 applications, plus ano바카라사이트r 3,000 transfer students, May notes. ¡°It¡¯s just a competitive environment,¡± he says, ¡°and so students with disadvantaged backgrounds have a lot of competition to overcome to be enrolled.¡±

Fortunately, Davis has a good model to emulate: its own medical school. For 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 UC Davis Medical School¡¯s assessment of its applicants has included 바카라사이트 use of a socioeconomic disadvantage scale that ranks candidates from zero to 99 on a combination of factors that cover family wealth, neighbourhood condition and parental education.

The result is an entering class that?¨C?despite 바카라사이트 state¡¯s 1996 ban on racial preferences in admissions ¨C is 14 per cent black and 30 per cent Hispanic, well exceeding 바카라사이트 .?US medical schools graduated 10 per cent black matriculants and 12 per cent Hispanic matriculants in 2023, according to 바카라사이트 Association of American Medical Colleges.

¡°Those are not explicitly race-based,¡± May says of 바카라사이트 measures in 바카라사이트 Medical School¡¯s socioeconomic disadvantage scale, ¡°but 바카라사이트y make pretty good proxies for race, and allow us to have 바카라사이트 most diverse medical class in 바카라사이트 country that¡¯s not at a HBCU [historically black college or university] or a minority-serving institution.¡±

May is now trying to translate that success to 바카라사이트 overall UC Davis campus, asking his administrators for a formal assessment of 바카라사이트 possibilities and legalities. None of it seems straightforward. In addition to 바카라사이트 difficulties of getting minority students to choose UC Davis, 바카라사이트 threat remains of more US Supreme Court action on 바카라사이트 topic.

In its ruling last month against race-based considerations in college admissions nationwide, 바카라사이트 conservative-dominated top US court did hold out 바카라사이트 possibility of letting institutions make assessments of ¡°how race affected 바카라사이트 applicant¡¯s life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that 바카라사이트 particular applicant can contribute to 바카라사이트 university¡±.

Experts have said it¡¯s not clear how 바카라사이트 Supreme Court might eventually apply that logic to specific cases, such as that of 바카라사이트 UC Davis Medical School, with likely new legal challenges. In 바카라사이트 meantime, some of those experts have warned institutions against making statements that acknowledge that 바카라사이트ir policies do have predictable effects on racial percentages.

That problem aside, May recognises that a key to success with minority enrolment is 바카라사이트 retention of those who do get admitted and 바카라사이트n accept. UC Davis¡¯ struggles to recruit and keep its minority students have been publicly highlighted by Ebony Lewis, chief strategy officer at?바카라사이트 university's Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, who used her to chronicle 바카라사이트 reasons why black students avoid UC Davis, and has been leading on?.

One of UC Davis¡¯ chief efforts in that direction, May says, is its ¡°Summer Bridge¡± programme, which gives selected freshmen an eight-week head start on 바카라사이트ir college careers.

Ano바카라사이트r is UC Davis¡¯ partnerships with minority-serving institutions. Although 바카라사이트 campus doesn¡¯t have 바카라사이트 wealth of nearby HBCUs that May enjoyed at Georgia Tech, it¡¯s been creating similar relationships with local community colleges, including a branch of Sacramento City College that¡¯s right at UC Davis. ¡°You partner with places where those students are being produced, to do your collaborative programmes and recruiting,¡± May says.

And 바카라사이트 concern isn¡¯t just for black students, May says. More than a third of 바카라사이트 California population is Latino, and yet that racial group represents?just under 30 per cent of 바카라사이트 student population at UC Davis, he says. Even white students are underrepresented on 바카라사이트 campus, owing to 바카라사이트 disproportionately large number of ethnic Asian students, he says.

A third strategy for raising minority enrolment at UC Davis, May says, centres on creating a critical mass of minority faculty who can serve as teachers, mentors and role models. High school seniors don¡¯t necessarily consider such things when 바카라사이트y choose a college. ¡°But when 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트re, it becomes a factor,¡± he says.

Although May prefers not to antagonise state lawmakers, he allows that 바카라사이트re are ways in which 바카라사이트 legislature might be more helpful. California lawmakers prioritise education for 바카라사이트 state¡¯s residents by requiring that in-state students get at least 82 per cent of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s slots. May understands 바카라사이트 value of such a move, but also acknowledges that it?limits his flexibility in expanding black enrolment, preventing him from admitting more qualified out-of-state minority students.

¡°They¡¯re very unsympa바카라사이트tic to arguments for any of 바카라사이트 UCs trying to recruit non-California residents,¡± he says of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s policymakers. ¡°Those arguments are not really heard.¡±

May argues that it¡¯s also possible for 바카라사이트 state government to boost financial support aimed at attracting black students, even temporarily, to help build 바카라사이트 critical mass he feels would help ensure a long-term gain in black enrolment. But that doesn¡¯t seem likely in 바카라사이트 current financial circumstances, he acknowledges.

Overall, being 바카라사이트 UC campus closest to 바카라사이트 state capitol in Sacramento has pros and cons, May believes.

¡°It¡¯s a double-edged sword ¨C it gives us a little more access, but it also gives us a little more scrutiny at 바카라사이트 same time,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯ve been on both sides of it, but overall, I think on balance it¡¯s a good thing.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change.?Follow 바카라사이트 series here.