The Highlander
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
For the week of Tuesday, April 5, 2022
VOL. 70, ISSUE 21
est. 1954
THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR ARE THE HIGHEST THEY’VE BEEN IN THE UC’S 154 YEAR HISTORY.
NEWS
UC Riverside has set a new record for freshman applications
ABHIJIT REGE News Editor
The University of California, Riverside has announced that a new record has been posted for freshman applicants for the upcoming fall 2022 quarter. A grand total of 54,365 applications were received by Nov. 30, the UCR freshman application deadline, representing an increase over the previous records of 49,252 for fall 2020 and 52,563 for fall 2021. Socioeconomic diversity continues to be a focal point of these applications, and this year alone, the pool of applicants is more diverse than previous years. Of those who applied, 49% identified as Latino, Black, American Indian or Pacific Islander, while 38% of applicants were Asian and 11% were white. UC-wide, the proportion of freshman and transfer applicants from low-income families grew to 46% and 56% respectively for this application period. Other UCs have experienced a similar
OPINIONS
climb in admissions as well, with the UC achieving the highest number of applications systemwide in its 154 year history with 249,855 applications received by at least one UC campus. With the consistent increases in applicants over the past few years, admission rates are unfortunately declining, especially with the current housing crises and other factors limiting the amount of students who can be admitted. President Michael V. Drake commented on the increase in enrollment across all UCs, stating, “The University of California remains an institution of choice for so many hardworking prospective undergraduates. This diverse group of students has shown their commitment to pursuing higher education and we are thrilled they want to join us at UC.” However, despite the increase in freshman applicants, the number of transfer applicants has overall decreased. Systemwide, transfer applications decreased 12.6% from the last application
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period. Much of this can be attributed to the drop in community college enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly affected the number of students applying to transfer to UC from CCCs for fall 2022. Han Mi Yoon-Wu, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions at UC, cited this issue of transfer applicants and hopes to alleviate concerns stating that, “UC is aware of the decrease in transfer applications and California Community College students across the system and is working to ensure that this critical group
NEWS
is supported in their efforts to apply at our campuses. We are committed to having a strong and diverse pipeline of students.” Freshman applicants should have already received their admissions decisions on their MyUCR student portals by the middle of March while transfer students will be notified in the beginning of April. We at The Highlander wish the best of luck to applicants and hope that those admitted to our university can find their place and pursue their passions on our campus.
THE PASSAGE OF SB118 REVERSES THE ENROLLMENT CAP THAT WAS PLACED AFTER THE RESIDENTS OF BERKELEY SUED THE UNIVERSITY.
UC Releases brief statement regarding passage of legislation protecting enrollment spots at UC Berkeley
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César Chávez’s complex legacy needs to be acknowledged by the Chicano community
OVERLOOKING CÉSAR CHÁVEZ’S PROBLEMATIC PAST ONLY HARMS THE LATINX COMMUNITY. DAVID MORENO Assistant Opinions Editor
March 31 was César Chávez Day here in the state of California. In the Chicano community, he is seen as a hero for Hispanic and Latino people. Chávez himself was a member of the Chicano community after all and was born in the state of Arizona. If you grew up in the state of California in the 1970s, you likely heard about Chávez and his activism frequently. Hundreds of farmworkers went on strike to achieve more protections out in the fields. Chávez ► SEE CÉSAR CHÁVEZ PAGE 7
ABHIJIT REGE News Editor
University of California President Michael V. Drake M.D. issued a statement on March 14 regarding the California Legislature’s passage of bills SB 118 and AB 168. This statement primarily concerned the passage of legislation protecting enrollment spots for prospective UC Berkeley students. SB118 is a notable bill that would delete the provision requiring the consideration of environmental effects relating to changes in enrollment levels when preparing an Environmental Impact Report. State lawmakers hope to utilize this bill as a legislative fix for UC Berkeley’s issues with a cap on enrollment. The passage of the bill serves as a victory for the UC and other public institutions, as this limits a judge’s
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ability to cap enrollment if population targets are exceeded in the future. This bill comes in response to the California Environmental Quality Act, which served as the foundation for Alameda Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman’s court order to limit enrollment at UC Berkeley after Berkeley residents sued the university for the impact the school’s enrollment growth would have
on city services, local housing and more. This order had originally required the UC campus to cut its fall 2022 enrollment by 2,600 students, and in response, the UC planned on enrolling some of these new students online or alter their enrollment till spring 2023. The UC sought to reverse this change through an appeal, though it was rejected by the California Supreme ► SEE UC STATEMENT PAGE 5
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