Enrollment of first-year minority students is at a record high, thanks to the arduous effort of various groups on campus.
Students of color were offered about 34 percent of first year admissions the highest ever at the university and 5 percent more than last year, said John Swiney, director of admissions.
This increase is due to the recruiting efforts of campus groups including Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search, the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement program, Educational Opportunity Program, and the Business Resource Center.
"Like the concept (that) it takes a village to raise a child it takes the entire campus to improve enrollment diversity," Swiney said.
To improve enrollment diversity, campus groups traveled to inner-city high schools from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. They hosted programs and tours, let the students meet faculty, staff and other students, and basically rolled out the red carpet, Swiney said.
About 85 percent of first-year students come from south of Chico State's service area, which is the 12 surrounding county regions, Swiney said. And every California State University-eligible minority student in California was contacted by admissions and invited to apply.
"We basically saturated the state of California," he said. "You go to Chico State, you go to school with the entire state of California."
The result was that, for the first time ever, more than half the fall applicants were non-white. About 51 percent of applicants were from other race groups, Swiney said.
This year's enrolled first-year class is the largest its ever been at 2,331 106 more than last year, he said.
One of many major contributors, EOP helped admit 234 first-year students, more than 90 percent of whom are students of color, said Christopher Malone, associate director of EOP. Communication with other cultures helps break down stereotypes and prepares students for their careers, he said.
"It's more realistic of what they will be facing when they get out to the real world," Malone said. "Most people, when they go into the work force, are dealing with people of color."
The challenge to make the population of Chico State look more like the population of California is headed by President Paul Zingg, Swiney said.
Zingg provided resources and took the leadership role in creating a more diverse campus, he said.
Chico State has a responsibility to prepare students for a more diverse world and to help make that world a better, more tolerant place in which to live, Zingg said in an e-mail.
"We are seeing the fruits of these efforts very clearly this year," Zingg said. "We need now to focus on the academic success of these students so that they will remain with us and tell others about their good experiences here."
Jorge Barrientos can be reached at
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