Image: On Friday, April 12, economist Zachary Bleemer shared his research on statewide higher education admissions diversity plans with students, faculty and friends of IHE. His presentation focused on the California experience with affirmative action policies and with the Eligibility in the Local Context program (ELC), employed between 1995-2011. His research found evidence of both Affirmative Action and ELC policies having a lasting impact on students admitted into highly-selected schools. In contrast to “mismatch” literature, these admissions policies that offer less-prepared students an opportunity to study at more selective schools do lead to positive long-term outcomes for the students and contribute to their upward economic mobility. He also cited evidence that labor markets benefit from ELC programs. In California, students, who metriculated alongside classmates with SAT scores 300 points higher, were more likely to graduate and were able to securing higher salaries after graduation than peers that did not participate in ELC. Bleemer pulled data from University of California System application data, National Student Clearinghouse Student Tracker, and California Employment Development Records. Type of News/Audience: General News
