UCLA Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Janina Montero released the following statement Nov. 7.
In their video "Black Bruin [The Spoken Word]," a number of UCLA students eloquently and powerfully expressed their frustration and disappointment with the low number of African-American male students on campus. As a public institution that values a diverse student body, we share their dissatisfaction and frustration. Although we have made some progress — African-American enrollment in the fall 2013 freshman class is at its highest since 1995 — it remains both modest and slow.
We certainly recognize that the low numbers of African-Americans and other underrepresented students on campus does lead to a sense of isolation and invisibility. It is difficult to eliminate this painful imbalance without considering race in the admissions process. That is why all 10 UC chancellors and the UC system's president have submitted friend-of-the-court briefs in support of affirmative action in two recent cases taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court.
We remain committed to working with our partners on and off campus to do everything possible within current laws to increase the diversity of each incoming class, particularly by helping to create additional pathways to a UC education for prospective African-American students. Enrolling a student body that is more reflective of the broad diversity of California and the nation remains one of the highest priorities for UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, for me and for the university.