<p>While we are at it, let's talk about</p>
<p>The Potential Impact of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative on
Employment, Education and Contracting</p>
<p>The Impact of Prop. 209 on University Enrollments</p>
<p>According to Richard Atkinson, the former president of the University of
California system, “In 1995, before Proposition 209 took effect, underrepresented minority students accounted for 38 percent of California high school graduates and 21 percent of entering University of California freshmen, a difference of 17 percent. In 2004, they made up 45 percent of high school graduates but had fallen to 18 percent of incoming UC freshmen, a difference of 27 percent.”37 </p>
<p>The enrollment decreases at UC Berkeley and UCLA have been even steeper.
Atkinson continues, “In 1995, UC Berkeley and UCLA together enrolled a total of 469 African-American women and men in a combined freshman class of 7,100. In 2004, the number was 218, out of a combined freshman class of 7,350. African- American men, in particular, are virtually disappearing from our campuses.</p>
<p>UCLA and Berkeley together admitted 83 African-American men in 2004.”38 In 2006, UCLA, which is located in the county with the second largest African American population in the United States,39 will enroll the smallest number of entering African American freshmen “since at least 1973.</p>
<p>**Since the passage of Prop. 209, an increasing number of high-achieving African American, Latino and Native American students who are accepted into the University of California system choose instead to attend elite private institutions, such as Stanford, Harvard and Yale. In 1997, 14.1% of underrepresented minority students denied admission to UC Berkeley and UCLA but accepted to another UC campus chose a private college or university. **</p>
<p>By 2002, 59% of such students opted for colleges outside the UC system.49 Their departure contributes to low numbers of underrepresented students of color on UC campuses, which reinforces the impression among prospective students that the climate is inhospitable, thereby further dampening both applications and enrollments.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the absence of these students diminishes the opportunities for all students to benefit from a diverse academic environment.</p>