Barriers to Higher Education: Underrepresented Minorities\u27 Access to UCI

Ever since the removal of Affirmative Action in California from Proposition 209, the UC system has struggled with increasing the enrollment numbers of underrepresented minorities on their campuses. In response to this, many of the UC schools are adopting different policies to help counteract the negative effects of Proposition 209. This paper examines the effects of Proposition 209 on the underrepresented minority population in the UC system, specifically focusing on the University of California, Irvine (UCI). The areas of focus for addressing the issues of Proposition 209 at UCI are outreach programs, admissions policies, and recruitment programs. This paper examines different policy options that other universities have utilized in each of these areas, and if it would be feasible for these policies to be adopted at UCI. The area the UCI is weakest in is recruitment, and it is also the area in which it is most feasible to implement change