We're an independent, student-run newsroom.

As an independent student newspaper and the paper of record for the city of Berkeley, the Daily Cal has been communicating important updates during this pandemic. Your support is essential to maintaining this coverage.

donate here

Berkeley's News | The Daily Californian

Friday, April 16, 2021

News

  • News
    • Campus
    • City
    • County
    • UC
    • State
    • National
    • ASUC
    • Obituaries
    • Research & Ideas
    • Elections 2020
    • COVID-19
    • Notes from the Field
  • Sports
    • Football
    • M. Hoops
    • W. Hoops
    • Baseball
    • Rugby
    • M. Soccer
    • W. Soccer
    • Volleyball
    • Softball
    • M. Tennis
    • W. Tennis
    • M. Swim
    • W. Swim
    • Track & Field
    • Cross Country
  • Arts
    • Music
    • Film & Television
    • Fashion
    • Theater
    • Visual Art
    • Video Games
    • Comedy
    • Literature
    • Voices
    • Best of Berkeley
    • Columns
    • Local Event
    • Culture Shot
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Eds
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Columns
    • The Soapbox
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Submit a Letter to the Editor
    • Submit an Op-Ed
    • Submit to the Soapbox
    • Podcasts
  • Blogs
    • Daily Clog
    • Eating Berkeley
    • Travel
    • Strikeout
    • Photo
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Essays
    • Insider
    • News: City
    • News: Campus
    • Arts
    • Culture
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Podcasts
    • Projects
    • Archives
  • Weekender
  • Featured
  • About
  • Sponsorships
  • Apply
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise

UC

Thursday, March 18, 2021

UC Regents discuss changes to admissions process, narrowing equity gaps

Photo of Regents Meeting
Joshua Jordan/File
This photo was taken January 25, 2018. During the UC Board of Regents’ virtual meeting Wednesday, the Compliance and Audit Committee reflected on the UC admissions process and improvements that have been to made to it. The meeting also included a discussion regarding budgeting and federal and state funding to the UC system.

By The Daily Californian News Staff | Staff

Last Updated March 18, 2021
Tweet Comment0

Related Posts

Image of cuffed ankle Campus alumnus sues UC Regents over clerical error that led to deportation
Image of Berkeley's campus UC Berkeley releases draft of 2021 Long Range Development Plan
UC Berkeley Campus UC urges Congress to double Pell Grant by 2024

The UC Board of Regents convened virtually Wednesday to discuss changes to the UC admissions process, professional program tuition and sources of external funding, among other topics.

After public comment, UC Board of Regents Chair John Pérez and UC President Michael Drake acknowledged the one-year anniversary of the pandemic. Following a commemoration of the lives lost and changed by the pandemic, Drake noted that as of this month, the UC system has administered more than 537,000 vaccine doses to more than 360,000 individuals. 

“It’s difficult to ask for patience when so much patience has already been expended,” Pérez said during the meeting. “There has been progress in terms of vaccines and funding and there will be more progress to come, but we must still take the necessary precautions and keep following science.”

The Compliance and Audit Committee then met to discuss updates on improvements that UC admissions have made in response to the California State Auditor’s, or CSA’s, audit recommendations.

Between 2013 and 2018, the CSA found 22 students who were inappropriately tagged as athletic admissions across the UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara campuses. Most students did not significantly participate on an athletic team; however, all but one student was found to be eligible for regular UC admission, according to Margaret Wu, UC Legal deputy general counsel.

UC Office of the President, or UCOP, Academic Affairs reviewed 41 nonathletic cases from UC Berkeley and found all of the applicants to be UC-eligible or to have comparable credentials, according to Michael Brown, UC provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

Some improvements to the admissions process include implementing policy to address conflicts of interest, protocols to verify athletic participation and regular audits of campus admissions, Brown noted. By June 15, the implementation is estimated to be complete.

“No admissions process is perfect,” Brown said during the meeting. “We continue to work towards perfection. The steps we outlined today bring us closer.”

After a thorough review, the UC Regents approved 17 multiyear plans for Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition during the Academic and Student Affairs Committee meeting. According to Brown, the plans allow professional schools to maintain their program quality and diversity by supplementing state support

The committee also discussed several curricular innovations to address equity gaps in the UC system and stressed the importance of focusing on large undergraduate gateway classes, even as research universities.

“In the UC, we don’t talk a lot about teaching, we talk about the research arm of the university, which is critically important,” said UC Regent Eloy Ortiz Oakley during the meeting. “For undergraduate students, particularly those coming from communities of color, low-income, first-generation students, the teaching component of these gateway courses is critical to their success at the UC.”

In terms of budgeting, the Finance and Capital Strategies Committee reported $390.9 million in expenditures during the second half of 2020. This is $50.6 million below budget, approximately 11.5% below anticipated expenditures during the six-month period, according to the midyear report of the UCOP’s budget for the fiscal year 2020-21.

The Public Engagement and Development Committee, however, discussed federal and state funding to the university, as well as the UC system’s ongoing efforts to combat climate change.

Claire Holmes, UCOP spokesperson, recognized California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state legislature for an agreement to restore the UC system’s base budget appropriation, allowing UC campuses to avert “hundreds of layoffs.”

Regarding new funding, Holmes explained that Newsom’s budget proposal requires the UC not to increase tuition in 2021, increase online course availability and implement a plan to close graduation equity gaps by 2025, among other policy actions, in exchange for $103.9 million in added funding.

According to Chris Harrington, UCOP associate vice president, the UC system is also on track to receive $684 million in higher education relief funding. The bill also includes billions toward vaccine-related expenses for COVID-19.

UC faculty then explained a variety of university efforts to combat climate change and work toward climate justice. Later this year, the UC system will launch a systemwide Center for Climate Justice, aimed at integrating social justice and climate science, according to Tracey Osborne, associate professor and UC presidential chair at UC Merced.

Dina Katgara, Jacob Souza, Katia Pokotylo, Shylie Ati and Vani Suresh contributed to this report.

Contact Dina Katgara, Jacob Souza, Katia Pokotylo, Shylie Ati and Vani Suresh at [email protected].

Tags Academic and Student Affairs Committee, California State Åuditor, Center for Climate Justice, Chris Harrington, Claire Holmes, Compliance and Audit Committee, Eloy Ortiz Oakley, Finance and Capital Strategies Committee, Gavin Newsom, John Perez, Margaret Wu, Michael Brown, Michael Drake, Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition, Public Engagement and Development Committee, Tracey Osborne, UC Board of Regents, UC Office of the President, UCOP Academic Affairs
The Daily Californian
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
  1. Illustration of Durant Food Court
    Best of Berkeley
    Best of Berkeley: Food 2021
  2. Letters to the Editor
    Instead of UC Berkeley Changemaker program, support Save Mills, UC Mills campaigns
  3. Photo of Unit 3 dorms
    Campus
    Amid growing demand, UC Berkeley housing capacity remains uncertain
  4. Illustration of Wheeler Hall
    Best of Berkeley
    Best of Berkeley: Campus 2021
  5. Best of Berkeley
    Best of Berkeley 2021
  6. Photo of 1921 Walnut
    City
    Berkeley City Council, residents oppose UC Berkeley development plan
  7. Sponsored Content
    Mission Lean: Perfecting the Formula for Lean Fitness
  1. Pressroom Banter
    How “super team” slander exposes NBA media shortcomings
  2. Photo of Beach Volleyball
    Sand Volleyball
    Cal exacts revenge on rival Stanford in otherwise frustrating weekend
  3. Photo of Cal Baseball
    Baseball
    Clutch hits elude Bears, but opportunities await
  4. Photo of Cal Women's Basketball Final Four
    Bear Bytes
    Chasing championships with Eliza Pierre
  5. Illustration of money being redistributed around Oakland and Berkeley
    Editorials
    The radical potential of guaranteed income based on race
  6. Photo of Shiva Baby
    Film & Television
    Say yes to the stress: ‘Shiva Baby’ rattles in clever, nail-biting comedy
  7. Local Event
    BAMPFA Student Committee Student Film Festival brims with creative promise, confident voices
  • News
    • ASUC
    • Campus
    • City
    • Crime & Courts
    • Obituary
    • Research & Ideas
    • State
    • UC
    • Notes from the Field
  • Sports
    • Men’s
      • Baseball
      • Basketball
      • Crew
      • Cross Country
      • Football
      • Golf
      • Gymnastics
      • Rugby
      • Swim
      • Tennis
      • Water Polo
    • Women’s
      • Basketball
      • Field Hockey
      • Golf
      • Gymnastics
      • Lacrosse
      • Softball
      • Swim
      • Tennis
      • Track & Field
      • Volleyball
      • Water Polo
  • A&E
    • Columns
    • Film & Television
    • Literature
    • Music
    • Theater
    • Visual Art
    • Comedy
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Eds
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Columns
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • The Soapbox
    • Sex on Tuesday
    • Cal in Color
  • Multimedia
    • Arts
    • Blog
    • News: Campus
    • Sports
  • Featured
    • Editor’s Picks
    • Awards
    • Special Issues
    • The Weekender
    • Gameday
    • Best of Berkeley
    • Daily Cal Archive
    • Editors’ Blog
  • Blogs
    • The Daily Clog
    • Eating Berkeley
    • Travel
    • A&E
    • Bear Bytes
    • Strikeout
Donate We're an independent, student-run newsroom. Make a donation to support our coverage.

Copyright © 2021 The Daily Californian, The Independent Berkeley Student Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Use desktop site by default. Mobile site.