UC-San Diego Tightening GPA Standards for Transfers from Community Colleges

UCSD policy limits community college students: Raising GPA requirement to 3.5 will exclude many students from program (excerpt):

Pat Flynn, March 18, 2011, San Diego Union-Tribune

With transfer applications soaring and budget cuts looming, the University of California San Diego is raising the threshold on a guaranteed admission program for the state’s community college students.

For years, community college students who took specific courses and obtained a 3.0 grade-point average could count on admission under the program called Transfer Admissions Guarantee, or TAG. But faced with growing demand and limited capacity, UCSD officials in recent weeks have notified community college officials statewide that for guaranteed admission in 2012 and beyond TAG students will have to earn GPAs of 3.5 or better…

The university’s decision has prompted a sharp response from officials of Southwestern College, which serves a predominantly minority population in the South Bay. “We are very concerned,” said Angelica Suarez, vice president for student affairs at the one-college district. “It’s about access for our students. This is going to narrow and reduce the number of students who can go to UCSD.” Suarez and Jaime Salazar, Southwestern’s transfer center coordinator, said UCSD’s decision directly contradicts university policies calling for the removal of barriers for students from traditionally underrepresented groups.

“They’re always giving us lip service,” said Salazar. “They say they’re committed to diversity, but it’s all lip service. It’s all about being the Ivy League of the West, serving the elite.” …

Full story at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/18/ucsds-new-transfer-standard-roils-community/