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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Quick Takes: UC San Diego Sees Increase in Black Freshmen - Inside Higher Ed

Quick Takes: UC San Diego Sees Increase in Black Freshmen - Inside Higher Ed

UC San Diego Sees Increase in Black Freshmen

The University of California at San Diego will enroll 68 black freshmen this year, up from 50 last fall, and new black transfer students will number 87, up from 46. While the Los Angeles Times noted that those figures are still relatively low, representing less than 2 percent of total enrollment, the increases are notable because of racial incidents and protests in the last year that many feared would discourage new black students from enrolling.

Budget Deal in North Carolina Minimizes Cuts

A final legislative budget deal for North Carolina minimized cuts to higher education, and also gave both the community college and university systems flexibility on where to make those cuts, the Associated Pressreported. Erskine Bowles, president of the University of North Carolina, issued a statement in which he said: "Legislators really stood up for our university and our 225,000 students in these hard times when money is scarce. On a relative basis and particularly considering the economic climate, the 2010-11 state budget we received from the General Assembly was nothing short of remarkable. We knew there were going to be significant cuts in every part of state government, and the university took its fair share. But the legislature really worked hard to help us protect the quality of education we can deliver to our students."

UC San Diego Sees Increase in Black Freshmen

The University of California at San Diego will enroll 68 black freshmen this year, up from 50 last fall, and new black transfer students will number 87, up from 46. While the Los Angeles Times noted that those figures are still relatively low, representing less than 2 percent of total enrollment, the increases are notable because of racial incidents and protests in the last year that many feared would discourage new black students from enrolling.

Visa Denied for Deported Student Admitted to SMU

The case of Saad Nabeel has attracted considerable attention in Dallas to the problems facing students without legal residency status -- and he has suffered another setback. Nabeel was brought to the United States as a young child by his family, and though he had been enrolled at the University of Texas at Arlington, he was deported to Bangladesh. Faculty members at Southern Methodist University helped him gain admission there, with the hope he could return, but The Dallas Morning News reported that his visa was rejected, and he was told that he can apply again in a decade -- unless he can win a waiver.

Grambling Lost $1M on Illegally Purchased Stock

While many universities have suffered stock losses in the last two years, Louisiana auditors uncovered an unusual loss at Grambling State University. The News Star reported that the university lost more than $1 million on stocks that were purchased illegally because the funds were restricted to use on university facilities.