by Assemblymember Marty Block
In late October, distraught parents and students joined educators from local community colleges and high schools and faculty from San Diego State University (SDSU) at a special hearing called by Assemblymember Marty Block who chairs the Assembly Select Committee on K-16 Articulation, Access and Affordability. The Assemblymember heard concerns from members of the community on the recent decision by SDSU President Stephen L. Weber to end the admissions guarantee for local students who meet California State University eligibility requirements.
Neither President Weber nor any of SDSU’s Vice Presidents chose to attend the hearing; however two representatives from SDSU defended the new policy. Dr. Sandra Cook, Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs, and Aaron Bruce, Director of Diversity, claimed that the decision was made in great part to accommodate recent budget cuts.
A panel of community college and public school trustees, faculty and administrators countered that students from other parts of the state pay the same fees as local students. They called the policy change “revenue-neutral” and claimed that the budget cuts were being used as a pretext to change SDSU from an institution that has traditionally served the community to one that serves a more elite clientele. Under questioning, the SDSU representatives could not name a single community or educational group that was consulted about changes to the freshman admission policy prior to its adoption.
“While it is important for me to listen to both sides of this issue,” commented Assemblymember Block, “last night’s testimony convinced me that there was virtually no public input into the freshman admissions fiasco, and also made me question whether budget cuts truly forced SDSU to break its promise to local students.”
Assemblymember Block was particularly concerned that the decision was made so late in the application cycle. This lack of notification leaves countless students in a potential state of limbo as they complete their requirements for guaranteed admission even though that “guarantee” has now been eliminated.
“The representatives from SDSU were gracious as they listened to countless stories of despair and anger from the community,” continued Assemblymember Block. “Their promise to bring the concerns of the community back to President Weber gives me hope that this policy can be reversed or, at the very least, accommodations made so that students who kept their part of the agreement are not left without an opportunity for a college education.”
At the conclusion of the hearing, Assemblymember Block agreed with students, parents and educators in attendance that SDSU should forestall implementation of the policy shift as it affects local applicants for at least one year. “Current local high school and community college applicants have played by the rules, followed the advice of their counselors, and met SDSU’s published admission requirements,” Assemblymember Block stated. “Now SDSU is changing the rules. That is fundamentally unfair. Postponing changes for one year would allow opportunity for further study with community input and would give future applicants reasonable warning of possible changes.”
Finally, Assemblymember Block expressed grave concerns about the closed door, secretive nature of this critical decision by a publicly funded university. “A private university can make key decisions behind closed doors without community input, but San Diego’s state university should solicit stakeholder input and shed light on major policy shift proposals that impact so many San Diegans. This should have been a transparent, shared process. It was not. If necessary, I will propose legislation next year that would require that critical decisions like these, made by public institutions and affecting so many Californians, be made with public input in the light of day.”
Marty Block
Assemblymember, 78th District
