UC system eyes transfer students

Noting that the majority of transfers from community colleges to University of California campuses come from relatively few of the state’s two-year schools, state and local officials this week applauded a move by the university system seeking to increase the number of transfers’ origin schools.

A report, presented to the nine-campus system’s board of regents Wednesday, stated that in 2012-13, the UC system enrolled at least one student from each of the 112 community colleges, but 75% of community college transfers came from 41of the campuses.

The report stated that with most students who enroll at UC campuses coming from “relatively few” community colleges in California, “UC’s mission to address the broad diversity of the state’s citizenry” is undermined.

The report recommended that the UC system better identify community college students who may be good candidates for a UC school and reach out to young people still in high school or just about to enter a community college.

It also suggested designing messages that convey that the UC system is affordable because it offers significant financial aid to students and that attending a UC school is “rewarding” because transfer students have historically performed well with rates comparable to students who entered a UC school as a freshman, according to the report.

Applications from community college students who are California residents have declined by about 9 percent since 2011-12, the report stated, noting the system has seen an 11% increase in the number of international transfer applicants in that time frame.

The report also noted that the $1.5 billion in state budget cuts made to the community college system resulted in a loss of 500,000 students statewide.

It concluded the drop in applications was attributable to a combination of lower enrollment across the 112 community colleges, limited access to classes required for transfer and “insufficiently supported advising services.”