California’s public colleges and universities are among the best and most diverse in the nation. Student demographics lone would qualify many of our colleges and universities as Hispanic Serving Institutions and Asian, American Indian, Pacific Islander Institutions, meaning they have a significant representation of Latinx, Asian, and Native students. Two-thirds of the 2.8 million students enrolled in California’s public higher education systems in 2016—2017 were from ethnically diverse populations.

While leadership and tenured faculty have become more reflective of California’s student population in many ways, only 31% of those 46,000 positions across the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges are held by people of color.  Diversity in positions of power on campus contributes to diverse students’ sense of belonging, their opportunities for mentorship and support, and their educational aspirations.

This report from the Campaign for College Opportunity examines the demographic makeup of faculty and leadership at each of California’s higher education governance bodies, community colleges, and universities to better understand the extent to which diversity exists within their ranks. The report also considers historical and contemporary factors affecting inclusion in higher education leadership, and the role of inclusion in supporting student development and success. College Futures Foundation provided a grant to support the Campaign’s research.

Read the full report—Left Out: How Exclusion in California’s Colleges and Universities Hurts Our Values, Our Students, and Our Economy—for the full analysis and recommendations.