MEDIA RELEASE

CSUN Named Among the Top Universities for Minority Students

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., June 30, 2008) — Cal State Northridge ranks among the top 100 colleges and universities in the nation for minority students, according to the latest issue of Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

The magazine’s June 12 issue is dedicated to rating the nation’s universities and colleges on how well they serve students of color, and Northridge ranked 12th in total baccalaureate degrees conferred to minorities in the academic year 2006-2007. CSUN awarded a total of 2,521 bachelor’s degrees to students of color, 872 to men and 1,649 to women. They accounted for approximately 43 percent of the university’s graduates that year.

Diverse ranked Northridge eighth in the nation for the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics, 26th for the number of degrees awarded Asian Americans, 79th for the number of degrees awarded African Americans and 85th for bachelor’s degrees awarded Native Americans.

"Cal State Northridge serves a culturally rich and diverse student population, and we’re honored to be recognized for our efforts in serving these students," said Northridge President Jolene Koester. "CSUN’s faculty and staff are committed to ensuring that everyone who attends Cal State Northridge receives a quality education and has the opportunity to fulfill their potential as individuals and members of the community."

Diverse ranked institutions according to information supplied by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics through the Completions Survey of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Set. The magazine’s complete list of rankings is available at its Web site, www.diverseeducation.com.

Northridge ranked third in the nation for the total number of baccalaureate degrees awarded Hispanics in social science and history, fourth in degrees awarded Hispanics in psychology, sixth in degrees awarded Hispanics in area, ethnic, culture and gender studies, eighth in degrees awarded to all minorities and ninth in degrees awarded Hispanics in English language and literature/letters.

CSUN ranked tenth in the nation for the total number of bachelor’s degrees awarded African Americans in area, ethnic, cultural and gender studies, tenth in degrees awarded Hispanics in business, management, marketing and related support services, and 12th in degrees awarded all minorities in psychology.

Northridge was 13th in the nation in bachelor’s degrees awarded Asian Americans in education, 15th in degrees awarded African Americans in English language and literature/letters, 15th in bachelor’s degrees awarded Hispanics in education and 16th in degrees awarded all minorities in the social sciences and history.

CSUN was 17th in degrees awarded Asian Americans in English language and literature/letters, 17th in degrees awarded all minorities in business, management, marketing and relations support services, 18th in degrees awarded Native Americans in English language and literature/letters and 19th in degrees awarded Asian Americans in area, ethnic, cultural and gender studies.

California State University, Northridge this year is celebrating "50 years of life-changing opportunity." The university has more than 35,200 full- and part-time students and offers 60 bachelor’s and 52 master’s degrees as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.