A qualitative study of the three eras of affirmative action and the impact on selected California educational leaders in achieving parity in the admission of Chicano/Latino California community college students to the University of California system

This study looks to selected California educational leaders as the conduit for designing and implementing policies in achieving parity in the admission of Chicano/Latino California Community College transfer students to the University of California. By the year 2010, Latinos will represent 35% of California's population. Approximately 70% of the Latino community is Mexican American and represents the largest of California's ethnic minority groups. Overall, Latino college students and particularly Mexican Americans represent 25% of California's 4.5 million community college students. Although Chicanos and Latinos represent the fastest growing student group in the K--12 system, there has been no parallel growth for college enrollment rates.; Five selected higher education leaders were interviewed in person utilizing a standard interview protocol. Each education leader held prominent positions of power that directly influenced statewide, systemwide, and campuswide transfer and admissions policy development and implementation. Perspectives were received from spokespersons representing the California Community College Chancellor's Office, the UC systemwide Office of the President, and from the Undergraduate Admissions Offices of the most premiere flagship universities in the UC system as well. Responses were analyzed making extensive use of the education leader's narratives. Cross participant responses were utilized to identify emerging themes in relation to the research questions.; Findings are analyzed according to the education principles of William G. Bowen, Derek Bok, and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Results of the study suggest that parity of transfer and admissions for Chicano/Latino students is influenced by, (a) maintaining an affirmative action presence on campus and throughout the college and university systems, (b) collaboratively redefining concept of affirmative action in higher education, (c) being cognizant of political forces and consequences, (d) identifying institutional barriers to academic access and success for Chicano/Latino students, (e) understanding the sociostructural variables influencing Chicano/Latino academic success, (f) understanding the concept of historical underrepresentation, (g) designing and implementing an effective and creative outreach and transfer plan, (h) tying institutional accountability and performance outcomes to funding, and (i) establishing an independent and permanent Commission on Higher Education and Historical Underrepresentation.; The data indicate that California higher education leaders have made a difference in achieving parity in the admission of Chicano/Latino California Community College students to the University of California. The data support other studies that document the importance of, (a) providing equitable educational opportunities for Chicano and Latino communities, (b) administering processes of inclusion, (c) accepting student diversity as an educational benefit and compelling state interest, (d) utilizing the flexible use of race and ethnicity as one factor among many for outreach and admissions consideration with reasonable durational limits, and (e) sharing measures of institutional accountability. Parity in the admission of Chicano/Latino California Community College students to the University of California reverses a pattern of historical underrepresentation and invests into the economic health and vitality for the State of California.