Focusing on communities with low college enrollment rates, we manage several programs that prepare students from middle school through community college to succeed academically and to ensure that they advance smoothly to and through college. Through these efforts, we have seen a substantial increase in Hispanic/Latino(a) undergraduate enrollment and increasing graduation rates across all racial/ethnic groups, as well as slow but steady progress in the percentage of women and underrepresented graduate students. While we have seen progress in the past few years, increasing our enrollment of African American undergraduates by nearly 20 percent between 2012 and 2016, we continue to focus our efforts to increase enrollment of African American and American Indian students.
The 2016–17 state budget included $20 million in one-time funds to expand our support services for low-income students and students from underrepresented minority groups. Campuses have used the funds to raise awareness about the academic and financial aid opportunities at UC by holding workshops for students and parents from traditionally underserved schools. Additionally, we identify high school students who are close to being UC-eligible and hold targeted yield and transition support activities for admitted students. Campuses also expanded academic support services for enrolled students through such initiatives as summer bridge programs and expanded orientation, advising and tutoring programs, and engaging students in research, graduate school preparation and professional development.
We have also made strides in diversity on the staff and faculty side. All 10 campuses have ongoing efforts to support best practices in recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, and $2 million in one-time funding in 2016-17 has allowed us to supplement those endeavors with targeted pilot programs at three campuses.
The greatest diversity is among the newest faculty, with underrepresented minorities making up 12.9 percent of new hires from 2012-13 to 2014-15, and women making up 39 percent of new faculty members in the same period.
For more about diversity at UC, see the 2016 Accountability Report.