<p>From the Daily Bruin:
<a href="http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=33140%5B/url%5D">http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=33140</a></p>
<p>Admissions boost controversial
Meaning of 1 percent rise ranges from victory to trivial yearly fluctuation</p>
<p>By Sara Taylor
DAILY BRUIN REPORTER
<a href="mailto:staylor@media.ucla.edu">staylor@media.ucla.edu</a></p>
<p>Officials and press releases from across the University of California have been proclaiming success in increasing minority admissions to the university for the fall class of 2005. </p>
<p>Since last year, the amount of underrepresented minority students admitted to the UC has increased, and these students make up a slightly higher percentage. </p>
<p>But the change is so small that some say it is no more than a common year-to-year fluctuation. </p>
<p>Speaking of what she sees as improvements in admissions for 2005, Susan Wilbur, director of undergraduate admissions for the UC, said in an April 19 conference call that one of the areas with the most notable gains was in admitting and enrolling underrepresented minorities. </p>
<p>These gains, in real terms, mean that almost 300 more minority students were accepted to UCLA this year than last, with 1,738 underrepresented minorities offered a spot. </p>
<p>"In terms of diversity, there's an increase in all ethnic groups," said Vu Tran, director of admissions at UCLA. </p>
<p>At first glance, this number may seem like an accomplishment but within the context of overall admissions to UCLA, it seems less impressive. </p>
<p>A few hundred more underrepresented minority students were admitted compared to last year, but this achievement comes from a class that grew by a few thousand. </p>
<p>So in absolute numbers, the change has been sizeable, but in terms of the percentage of minority students admitted, the increase from last year was much smaller. </p>
<p>The admitted class for 2005 was made up of 15.7 percent underrepresented minorities, up from 14.9 percent in fall 2004 an increase of just under one percent. </p>
<p>But a better point of reference for comparing admissions statistics is the fall 2003 class, Wilbur said, because the budget constraints required a cut in admissions that made last year an aberration. </p>
<p>The year before, 16.1 percent of the admits were minority students. </p>
<p>These percentage shifts up a few points one year and down a few the next may be part of ordinary fluctuations and not indicative of any long-term trends. </p>
<p>"In the long term, (it's) really a fraction of a percent," Tran said. "The change in the percentage is very insignificant, so I think that it's a normal change." </p>
<p>Though this small increase may not be a huge success, "at least (it's) toward the right direction because there is no decline. ... At least the raw number has been increased," Tran said. </p>
<p>But for others, an increase of less than one percent is meaningless. </p>
<p>"I think it's the same as if we had no increase," said Allende Palma/Saracho, president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council. </p>
<p>"It's something we shouldn't be cheering about. ... It's definitely something we shouldn't be satisfied with." </p>
<p>And though the university, as well as UC students, are concerned with increasing the amount of minority students who are able to attend UCLA and drawing a student body that is reflective of the Los Angeles community, officials say they often find their hands tied by Proposition 209. </p>
<p>Under California law, the university cannot make any use of ethnicity, either in admissions or in outreach programs, said Soncia Lilly, assistant vice chancellor of student affairs. </p>
<p>The university initiates outreach programs based on student income level to help students become university-eligible, which Lilly said has been successful but this action is as far as the UC can go.</p>