Another look at AAP and Asian Americans students

Another look at AAP and Asian Americans students

By Eric Garlepp

Misinformation and ignorance is harmful and unfortunately common
in our society. Even at an institution of higher learning such as
UCLA, misconceptions often lead to unfounded rumors which affect
all members of society. The lack of awareness of UCLA’s Academic
Advancement Program (AAP), its purpose, goals and which students it
serves is truly unfortunate, especially since the program serves
more than 26 percent of all UCLA undergraduates.

The Friday, Mar. 3, edition of The Bruin featured an article
entitled "Asian Americans Petition for AAP Minority Status," and
could have easily misled readers who are not fully informed about
AAP. The article referred to the petition that is circulating for
Asian American students to gain AAP minority status. In doing so,
it stated certain misconceptions about the Academic Advancement
Program. My goal is to objectively inform the UCLA community about
AAP and its relation to that petition.

AAP is a multiracial, multicultural, academic organization in
the Division of Honors and Undergraduate Programs (HUP) of the
College of Letters & Science. Established in 1970, AAP’s
mission is to "promote the academic achievement and retention of
AAP students." AAP students include members of all historically
underrepresented populations (African Americans, Latin Americans,
Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Pilipinos) and low-income
students of all ethnicities.

The ethnic groups considered historically underrepresented are
determined by the state of California. Currently, the AAP student
breakdown is: 4.2 percent white, 25.5 percent Asian American, 17.7
percent African American, 50.8 percent Latin American and 1.9
percent Native American. All of the whites and 17.2 percent of the
25.5 percent Asian Americans are low-income AAP students. So, in
fact, as a multiracial program, AAP includes students from each
major ethnic group and works to retain and graduate each of
them.

As of fall quarter of 1994, Asian Americans became the largest
ethnic population among UCLA undergraduates. The university’s
undergraduate population as of fall 1994 was 36 percent white, 39.3
percent Asian American, 6.2 percent African American, 16.8 percent
Latin American and 1.1 percent Native American.

The ethnic distribution of the entering 1994 freshman class was
28.7 percent white, 42.8 percent Asian American, 7.5 percent
African American, 19.5 percent Latin American and 1.1 percent
Native American, according to the UCLA office of Academic Planning
and Budget.

And as of 1994, California’s population was distributed as
follows: 57.2 percent white, 9.1 percent Asian American, 7 percent
African American, 25.8 percent Latin American and .8 percent Native
American.

So, how does the above information relate to the issue of Asian
Americans gaining AAP minority status? First of all, Asian
Americans are currently not admitted to AAP on the basis of
ethnicity because of the fact that they are not underrepresented at
UCLA. (Once again, more than 1,000 Asian Americans are AAP students
based on their low-income status and, additionally, more than 450
Pilipinos and Pacific Islander students are AAP students, based on
underrepresentation). As a group, Asian Americans have the highest
academic achievement (reflected by GPA) and the highest retention
rate of any ethnic group at UCLA. Including Asian Americans as an
underrepresented group would be inconsistent with the purpose and
goals of AAP.

The Daily Bruin article implied two falsehoods: 1) that denying
Asian Americans AAP minority status contradicts the ideals of AAP,
and 2) the principle reason for AAP’s current position on Asian
American AAP status is a lack of resources or funding. Hopefully,
the preceding facts have clarified these misleading statements.

I want to make it absolutely clear that this article is not
about including or excluding anyone. I recognize that much
discrimination and racism is directed toward Asian Americans in our
society and at UCLA, and I know that AAP recognizes this as well.
However, the program’s purpose is to help students succeed
academically and graduate from UCLA. AAP intends to place students
in a position to be able to pursue graduate or professional school,
if they choose to do so, in the hope that they can become the
academic, political, economic and community leaders of the future.
While most programs and services on campus serve all UCLA students,
AAP opens its arms to students of all ethnic backgrounds who have a
demonstrated need for academic support of guidance, either by
historical underrepresentation or lack of financial means.

While UCLA’s academic reputation has risen over the past 25
years, placing it among the nation’s top universities, it has also
developed into the country’s most ethnically diverse research
institution. This correlation is no coincidence. And you can be
certain that AAP has played a major role in this process of
diversification and academic excellence.

Garlepp, a senior electrical engineering student, is an AAP
tutor.