College President on UC Transfers

* Your Aug. 7 article, “Black, Latino Students Lag in Transfers to UC Campuses,” accurately documents the disparity in the transfer rates of African American and Latino students to the University of California as well as the complexity of issues that many low-income, first-generation college students face in attempting to navigate California’s higher education systems.

I certainly agree that the community college is a wonderful path for students to UC and that transfer is a very complex issue. However, I would like to address a few misperceptions.

Transfer is a shared responsibility. It is only through collaboration between community colleges and the University of California campuses that underrepresented students will successfully prepare for, be admitted to, enroll in and successfully graduate from the world’s finest public school system.

This shared responsibility includes both systems committing resources, energy and personnel to the recruitment and outreach of underrepresented students at all 107 community colleges.

One student quoted in your article stated, “The effort is not proactive.”

At Fullerton College and other Orange County community colleges, we take seriously our responsibility in facilitating the transfer of underrepresented students.

We are proactive in addressing the transfer barriers that disadvantaged students face.

Through our transfer centers, and in conjunction with UC Irvine, we have initiated programs rooted in UC partnerships.

Fullerton College recently approved over $500,000 [for programs that] target transfer-bound disadvantaged students.

MICHAEL J. VIERA

President

Fullerton College