Implications of Declining African American UC Enrollment for Policy & Practice

• In Event: African American Students Navigating California Higher Education Post–Proposition 209

Abstract

The literature on parental involvement, particularly African American parents in the United States is inundated with lamentations of poor parental involvement accounts concerning parents of color (Abdul-Adil & Farmer, 2006; Auerback, 2007)). Parents of color are often considered hostile, non-participatory adults with minimal understandings of education (Cooper, 2007, 2009; Durand 2011, 2010). These depictions of parents of color obscure the extensive history of parents of color using social protest and legal systems to gain access and equity in education for their children (Chapman, 2005). Additionally, discourses of uninvolved parents do not address issues of structural racism that date back to the forced integration of schools in the U.S. and the migratory patterns of blacks and Indians to the UK. Traditional stories of parents of color do not take into account the legacy of racism that parents of color endured during their own schooling experiences, which significantly influences their decision making processes for their children’s education trajectories.
Freeman (2005) has documented the multifaceted college choice process among African American and emphasizes on the influential role of the family in African American’s predisposition to college, that is, the contexts that influence African American’s postsecondary plans. In this study, we aim to address the role of parents in the college choice process of African American students who were admitted to the UC for Fall 2015 but chose to enroll elsewhere.
This research paper is part of a larger statewide study on the college choice processes among African American students accepted to the University of California for Fall 2015 cycle but that decided to seek enrollment elsewhere. The component that we address here is on the role of parents in the college choice process.
Participants in the study were part of a statewide study that explored the role of parents in the college decision-making process for their children. Parents who had a student admitted to a UC campus were invited to participate in regional focus groups. A total of 8 focus groups were conducted throughout the state to capture the parent perspective. Findings reveal a complex pattern of student/parental interactions with financial concerns, “student fit,” and location significantly influencing parental concerns. Parents who were more informed about college going processes, either through their own experiences or independent research, were more involved with initially identifying colleges and universities for the application process. After financial considerations, both financially affluent and less affluent parents allowed their children to make a final decision.
The present study helps fill a void in the literature on parental influence on the college choice processes for African American students and the general literature concerning the roles of African American parents in their children’s educational pathways. The study is also useful to institutions of higher education who may be facing similar challenges in enrolling Africa American students. Policy implications, related to outreach and recruitment of high-achieving African American students will be offered.

Authors

• Gloria M. Rodriguez, University of California - Davis

• Frances Contreras, University of California - San Diego

• Eddie Comeaux, University of California - Riverside

• Bertin Solis, University of California - Santa Barbara