blog post California’s Private Colleges Are Preparing for the End of Affirmative Action By Kevin Cook, Mary Severance Mar 23, 2023 The US Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this year that declares affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional. We talked with Kristen Soares, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, about the potential impact of the court’s decision.
Report Racial Disparities in Traffic Stops By Magnus Lofstrom, Joseph Hayes, Brandon Martin, Deepak Premkumar Oct 10, 2022 Traffic stops have emerged as a key driver of racial disparities in law enforcement and an area of potential reform. Our new report examines whether certain types of traffic stops could be enforced in alternative ways that reduce racial disparities and risks to officers and civilians without jeopardizing public safety.
Report Community College English in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Aug 15, 2022 Major assessment and placement reforms at the state's community colleges have all but eliminated remedial prerequisites. As a result, students are much more likely to complete college composition—the “gateway” transfer-level English course. However, more work is needed to address persistent racial equity gaps and pandemic challenges.
Report Community College Math in California’s New Era of Student Access By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Olga Rodriguez, Hans Johnson, Cesar Alesi Perez Dec 7, 2021 In fall 2019, California’s community colleges began implementing AB 705, making reforms to place thousands of students away from remedial courses and directly into the introductory courses necessary to transfer to a four-year college. In this report, we focus on math courses and the progress that colleges and students have made under the new system as of fall 2020.
blog post Video: A Conversation with University of California President Michael V. Drake By Mary Severance Feb 26, 2021 Dr. Michael V. Drake talks with PPIC’s Mark Baldassare about how UC has responded to COVID-19 and discusses the system’s ongoing efforts to increase equity and diversity.
blog post Election Takeaways: California Voters Send Conflicting Signals By Mark Baldassare Dec 14, 2020 Nearly 18 million Californians voted in the November 2020 election—an all-time high. PPIC’s Mark Baldassare discusses the final election results and what they say about Californians’ mindset and policy preferences in a year of unprecedented challenges.
blog post How Is the Pandemic Affecting California’s Independent, Nonprofit Colleges? By Kevin Cook Dec 3, 2020 COVID-19 has created a number of disruptions for higher education institutions. We talked with Kristen Soares, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, about how these institutions are addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic.
blog post Video: Californians and Their Government By Stephanie Barton Oct 28, 2020 PPIC’s Rachel Lawler and Mark Baldassare discuss a new statewide survey that examines Californians’ views on the top issues facing the state, key November ballot measures, and the presidential election.
event Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government Oct 22, 2020 PPIC’s statewide survey on Californians and their government examines likely voters’ preferences in the 2020 presidential and congressional elections along with Californians’ views on confirmation of a Supreme Court justice. It also gauges support for the “split roll” property tax (Proposition 15) and for repealing the state’s ban on affirmative action in the public sector (Proposition 16).
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Alyssa Dykman, Rachel Lawler Oct 21, 2020 Key findings from the current survey include: In the presidential race, Biden maintains a wide lead over Trump, and Californians are more enthusiastic about voting than usual. Views fall along party lines for confirming Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court, while majorities across parties oppose overturning Roe v. Wade. On ballot measures, likely voters are divided on Proposition 15, the “split roll” property tax, and support is low for Proposition 16, which would reinstate affirmative action. At least half of Californians would get a COVID-19 vaccine, but two in three are concerned about a vaccine being rushed.