The Master Plan and the Future of California Higher Education: Assessing the Impact of State Policy on Minority-Serving Institutions

Abstract

Many argue that the California Master Plan for Higher Education is no longer effective in meeting the needs of students. This policy analysis assesses the impact of California higher education policy on the state’s community colleges that are considered minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Using longitudinal data to determine how the metrics have changed over time, we focus on three public policies that are manifestations of the master plan: (1) transfer between the California Community Colleges and California State University segments, (2) state funding for each segment, and (3) enrollment quotas for the California State University and University of California segments. We assess enrollment, finance, transfer, persistence, and completion measures to answer our primary research questions. While we find challenges for MSI students advancing to the completion of a 4-year degree, our findings also demonstrate that MSI community colleges can encourage minority student retention and associate’s degree and certificate completion. By centering MSIs in the state policy context, this study brings to light the growing interrelated relationship between federal and state efforts to reduce racial inequality in higher education.