Use resources to deal with flawed ECP policy

College is supposed to be a place for us to obtain a full and
relevant education, partake in extracurricular activities that
enhance our academic experience, develop lasting friendships, and
above all, become informed and responsible citizens who can make
positive contributions to society after graduation. At least
that’s what college is supposed to be. But it really
isn’t.

The holistic college experience you may have heard about many
times over from your orientation counselor and resident assistant
may not be as holistic as you think. Why? Because while university
administrators are encouraging students to take as much out of
their UCLA experiences as they can, they have made policies without
student input that directly jeopardize student ability to fully
explore the academic and extracurricular possibilities that UCLA
has to offer.

One example is the creation of a policy called expected
cumulative progress.

ECP, created in 2001, is an academic policy that was supposed to
guide students in the UCLA College to “make steady
progress” toward earning their degrees.

ECP requires students to complete at least 13 units every
quarter; but there is a catch. As students progress through their
UCLA careers, they are expected to complete at least 16 units every
quarter during their junior and senior years, when upper-division
classes are only four units each.

Students who do not meet the ECP requirement for the first time
can expect a hold to be put on their records. And those who do not
fulfill the ECP requirement multiple times can be kicked out of
UCLA.

Prior to 2001, a more reasonable policy mandated that students
must take at least 13 units per quarter. Back then, there were no
confusing rules regarding taking additional units as you progress
through your academic career.

As one may expect, many students felt ECP was not supportive of
students’ pursuit of academic excellence and holistic
educational experiences. In response, the Undergraduate Students
Association Council did a comprehensive survey on the effects of
ECP in spring 2005. With the guidance of professional statisticians
and approval of the university’s internal committees, USAC
conducted a survey in which over 4,000 undergraduate students
participated.

Overall, we found that ECP decreases the quality of life for
many students, limits their ability to engage in intellectual
stimulation by enrolling in challenging classes and majors,
accentuates the hardships already existing for underrepresented
communities, and causes increased academic confusion.

Approximately 66 percent of survey respondents reported that ECP
has affected their quality of life, and 40 percent said that ECP
has affected their choice of classes.

The survey also found that historically underrepresented
communities such as African Americans, Latinos and Pacific
Islanders are twice as likely to be put on ECP probation, and that
higher family income correlates with lower rates of ECP
probation.

Last year, USAC worked tirelessly and made steady progress in
the campaign to reform ECP.

Although the campaign is still ongoing, there are other
resources, such as the Student Retention Center, students can
utilize to assuage the effects of unsound academic policies.

The SRC is one of the largest student-initiated, student-run
retention projects in the nation.

Through individual one-on-one peer counseling, mentorship and
workshops, the center aims to help all students overcome adversity
in college.

According to the ECP survey, significantly more students rate
SRC counseling as more useful than the College’s.

Since all SRC counselors are UCLA students themselves, any
university policy that might affect them will inevitably affect the
students they counsel; thus, students who take advantage of the SRC
are always conscious of factors that may affect student life.

The SRC also offers other resources such as a test bank, a study
hall, a computer lab and van rides at night.

It may be some time before ECP can be reformed. In the meantime,
please take advantage of the resources that SRC has to offer
““ sign up in Student Activities Center 105 ““ and take
control of your college experience.

Tseng is staff in the USAC president’s office.
Bautista is a former peer counselor in the SRC.