A September change to California’s state education code will be transformative for community colleges by offering a new designation: Black-Serving Institutions, or BSIs.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1348 into law in September. The bill makes colleges and universities eligible for various state and federal grants if at least 10% or 1,500 students are Black and the schools have a Black student success program.
The success programs must provide academic and basic needs support to assist Black students, track their effects on Black student outcomes, and commit to serving Black students in their mission.
“The designation of Black-Serving Institutions establishes an imperative for colleges to dismantle systemic barriers that have restricted access and success,” said San Diego Mesa College president Ashanti T. Hands in a statement.
“This legislation recognizes both the barriers and the brilliance, contributions and unique perspectives of Black students and compels the creation of intentional, transformative policies and practices that unapologetically uplift, support, and champion the success of Black students in ways that are equitable, excellent, inclusive, innovative, accountable, and just.”
San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges have already secured designations as Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; those federal designations allow the colleges to apply for grants that support students from all backgrounds.
Three SDCCD colleges already meet benchmarks set forth in SB 1348: San Diego City College, San Diego Mesa College, and the San Diego College of Continuing Education. Presidents at all three say they will seek BSI designation.
“Many of our Black students are veterans, the first in their families to go to college, parents, foster youth, justice impacted, or recent immigrants who are working adults striving to advance their careers so that they can access the middle class and beyond,” said City College president Ricky Shabazz, who was among local leaders advocating for the legislation.
“The state creating BSIs is a critical step in ensuring that Black students have the necessary resources and support needed to be successful in their higher education journey.”
More than 13% percent of San Diego City College students in the spring of 2024 identified as Black, and nearly 6% identified as multiracial, according to data compiled by the California Community Colleges system.
