California State

Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) is a

wonderfully diverse campus. In
1997 Us News and World Report
selected CSUDH as the most
diverse college in the west and
second most diverse in the
CSUDH Class of 2008 Commencement

nation. The school offers many

different courses, programs, and services for its diverse community. One can tell just by walking
around campus how diverse the people of our campus is. Our diversity seen by the extreme
amounts of minoritys that CSUDH educates. As shown in the Student enrolment by ethnicity on
the campus website for the fall semester of 2013, Hispanics/Latinos, Black/African American,
and Asians together make up about 82% of the students at CSUDH. To quote an article, in The
Hispanic outlook on higher education, it described our diverse students by saying Our skin is
black, brown, white, and tan. Our hair is blond, black, brown, red, and gray. Although one can
see that the college is diverse, one may ask the question, how did it become so diverse? Through
looking at the history of how CSUDH came to be, on can see the struggles and perseverance of
the diverse students, and how the administrators have affected the success of these students
through lack of funding and representation.
This campus begin because there was a need for this new college in the south bay. In
1950 the city started to change, the city of Los Angeles was growing and there were many
families moving to the west side. According to California State University, Dominguez Hills by
Gregory L. Williams, there was a big increase in population in the area due to the growth of the
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families of WWII veterans and also by the emerging aerospace and defense industries. There
was also an increase of educational planning in California, and
now there was a program called 1960 Master Plan for Higher
education and the California State College (CSC) system was
established. Due to these changes there was a plan to have a
college somewhere in the south bay between Los Angeles
International Airport and the city of San Pedro. So the planning
on a new college, originally named South Bay State College,
was set off.
Leo F. Cain First
President of CSUDH

President Leo F. Cain, the first president at CSUDH, was hired in 1962 to

establish a new college campus in the south bay. While the CSC board was looking into
locations, Cain hired his staff and administrators and started a campus master plan. During this
time he renamed the campus to California State College, Palos Verdes. His preferred plan was
not for the school to be located in the city of Carson. He, along with his staff, selected Palos
Verdes as the original location. Palos Verdes was a predominately white beach town in the south
bay area. Classes began in 1965 in the City of Torrance with about fifty students. Unfortunately,
Cains preferred location in Palos Verdes did not work out due to increasing land costs. Many
other cities in the area were now being discussed including the Dominguez Hills site witch was
going to become the city of Carson.

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Shortly after
classes began in
Torrance, the Watts Riots
broke out. The Watts
Riots took place on
August 11 through the
17th in 1965. To briefly
explain what happened,
the Black residents of
the city of watts faced

Dominguez hills Advisory Board

discrimination by the Los Angeles Police Department. They were being treated unfairly because
of the color of their skin, and they fought back
in protest of the poor treatment and lack of rights they were receiving in their own community.
The Watts Riots was a very important event that helped create CSUDH. In the wake of the Riots
Governor Pat Brown chose the Dominguez Hills location as the new location for the South Bay
College. He felt that it had the best accessibility to minorities who wanted a college education.
The soon-to-be city of Carson boarders the city of Watts, Compton, and Lynwood which, at the
time, were predominantly Black/African American communities.
This takes us back to President Leo F. Cain, and it brings up the question if he was
equipped or prepared to create a college that meets the needs of a diverse college. By looking at
the picture seen on this page one can see that the staff Cain hired was not very diverse. There is
only one minority and the rest are Anglo males with the exception of one Anglo female. This
group of members may have served the Palos Verdes community just fine, but the majority of the
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students that the school in Carson was going to be

educating were African American. It was not his choice to
have Dominguez hills location and now there is an added,
unexpected responsibility.
This leads us into students and their need and want
to be represented culturally. In 1967 there was a protest by
students and teachers in East Los Angeles, where there is a predominantly Hispanic/Latino
Student Walkouts

population. This protest is known as the Walkouts or

Blowouts. Students took several demands to the board of education. They asked for a quality
education, they wanted Chicano studies classes to be taught, and a better education. Most
importantly they wanted a curriculum that could get them to college, and they no longer wanted
to be trained for trade jobs. They wanted the same representation and the quality of education
that was being taught in the white schools. It turned out that, the school board denied their
requests. The students turned to walkouts. This is a bold statement because public schools in
Los Angeles are paid by the amount of students in class each day. They attacked the schools
where it hurt, financially.
Although the students protesting are in high school, it is relevant to the CSU system
because they are the students that are coming to state colleges like CSUDH. These students are
being taught and essentially forced into a certain way of learning. If you never educate minority
students then there cannot be a change. By being trained for labor, these students will grow up
and generations will continually be blue collar workers. How will the students be able to bring
back knowledge into their community if they are not being prepared for a higher education.

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The representation that the students of East Los Angeles were demanding also helped
shape the ethnic studies programs in the college level. At CSUDH there were student groups and
the Ethnic studies programs were being developed. In 1968 the black student union was formed
and they focused on starting an African American Studies major. (Williams 22) Also, the
organization United Mexican American Students (UMAS) was formed. They went out to high
schools to discuss the opportunities at CSC Dominguez Hills (23). In 1970 the Mexican
American Studies and Interdepartmental Program started. Also in 1970, an interdepartmental
East Asian field study was designed to provide students and understanding of social political and
cultural pattern of East Asia with an emphasis on China and Japan. (47). The East Asian
Studies program began in 1971 according to a brochure from the EAS program at CSC
Dominguez Hills. It is clear that there is a need for representation in all ethnicities. It is not only
they Hispanic/Latino students calling for change but also the Black/African American and Asian
students. However were just because these programs were being offered does not mean that they
are being utilized to the best of their ability.

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In a pamphlet found in the CSUDH archives about the Mexican American Studies
Department in 1973, It shows a message from President Leo F. Cain acknowledging how
important it is for this program to the Chicano students. In the same pamphlet, there is a letter
from the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Azatlan (MECHA) organization. Their agenda was
to promote and enhance educational opportunity for Chicanos. This shows that there is a great
deal of support from Cain. He, together with the students, are coming together to acknowledge
the importance of the program while also promoting its diversity and programs.
However when looking further, there is not always support of the minority student from
President Cain. In a letter from the Black

UMAS Formed in 1968

Caucus of CSC Dominguez Hills to the neighbors of Cain, and another high paid administrator,
Lyle Gibson it talks about how the black students are being denied a voice in the development of
programs and economical needs. In the letter it stated how the administration did not serve the
needs of its large black community and that it is better suited to the white upper class
community of Palos Verdes Estates. On January 26, 1970 funds were set aside for the Black
studies program. However, when implementing the funding on Jan 30 1970, there were no funds
available and will not be until 1972. This
necessity of this funding was talked about
with both Cain and Gibson since 1968. The
members of the black caucus including
students, staff, and Community
representatives took to the streets to protest at
the homes of Cain and Gibson in the Palos
Verdes Estates.
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This give you an idea about that Cains endorsement or word, it was not always
dependable. It seems that he does what it takes to endorse the school and its diversity, like he did
in the Mexican American Studies Department pamphlet. However, just because one endorses a
program or a funding it does not mean that they cannot change or ignore the original plan. For
the black studies program to wait four years would be devastating. There could be a number of
students that could benefit from the funding within those years. They could have brought their
knowledge to the community and created a better future for other students. Without funding
there is hardly a way for a program to survive and Cain and Gibson carelessly play with the lives
of the students and their futures. For Cain and Gibson were a great example of the carless
representation of the administration of the school.
Not only was there a lack of funding for the Black studies program, there was a lack of
diversity with the faculty. In 1969 Mexican American students lobbied for the campus to reflect
the population of the surrounding communities. They wanted to hire Mexican American
counselors and additional Mexican American professors. (Williams 27) As seen in a press
releases found in the CSUDH archives, The black caucus sent out a press release on June 3, 1971
announcing a rally and demonstration in the dismissal of, Frank Greenwood, am Afro-American
History teacher. He is the second of two black teachers that has been fired and there is no
replacement to fill their place. They feel like it is an obvious plot to destroy black studies at the
school.
Presently, there has been a small increase in faculty diversity. As seen in the chart on the
chart below, showing the percent of faculty diversity found on the CSUDH website, It does show
that there is an increase of staff diversity. However, is it good enough? Is the, about 4%, change
in Hispanic teachers over eleven years a sufficient jump? 54.5% of the students that went to
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school in the fall of 2012 at CSUDH are Hispanic/Latino, and about 17% are African American.
Yet, there is only 12% of teachers that are Hispanic and 13% that are African American. With
the majority of faculty being white.
Faculty Diversity 2001
African American: 9.7%
Asian American: 9.4%
Hispanic: 8.4%
White: 72.5%
Other: 0%

Faculty Diversity 2012

African American: 13%
Asian American: 11%
Hispanic: 12%
White: 62%
Other: 2%

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Although there is a change in faculty population I would like to argue that we not seeing
an increase in faculty because there are not enough minority students being educated. If we do
not have enough funds to maintain out ethnic studies programs then we cannot educate students
to back into their communities and make changes. And, if no change is made we will be
continuously be fighting to represent minorities.
Presently, there are still problem with representation of the Ethnic students programs at
CSUDH. The students are still fighting for their rights and for
more funding for the ethnic studies programs. On April 22-25,
2014, CSUDH, had ethnic studies week as seen on a flyer given
to me by a student in the Chicano Studies program at CSUDH.
She informed me that during this week there was a protest by
the CSU Students for Quality Education at our current
presidents, Dr. William J. Hagan, office. They protested
because there is cutbacks in the ethnic studies programs as well
as increases in student fees for the upcoming year. Once again,
such a diverse school as CSUDH is in need of funding and it is being taken away not only from
Dr. William J. Hagan
Current President of CSUDH

the students currently going to school but the future students

and the surround communities that these student give back to.
As stated in the CSUDH history timeline, In July of 2013, Diverse: Issues in Higher
Education ranks CSUDH first in California for bachelors degrees conferred to African American
students and 38th nationally for bachelors degrees conferred to Hispanic students. If this is so

then why are we the students and minorities of CSUDH being denied funds that can continually
help our community to prosper and grow? I still however continue to remain hopeful. This is
because CSUDH is continuously being ranked in such positives ways I feel that there is a
hopeful future. I anticipate the response and outcome of Dr. Hagan in response to the diverse
students needs. I hope that he will not act politically but will be able to act responsibly. I
found a quote In the article Black, Brown, White, Tan, where an administrator being interview
stated Diversity in and of itself means little. What counts is what we do with our diversity to
enrich us and empower us to advance as a society. This is something that I will continually
think about when it comes to my obligation as a Mexican American student who will soon
graduate from California State University Dominguez Hills.

Works Cited
Arciniega, Thomas A. Hispanic Under Representation: A call for Reinvestment and Innovation
Follow-Up Report, California State Dominguez Hills Department of Archives and Special
Collections, Leo F. Cain Library, Carson, CA. 25. March. 2014.

Black Caucus. Letter to Neighbors of Leo F. Cain and Lyle Gibson. California State Dominguez
Hills Department of Archives and Special Collections, Leo F. Cain Library, Carson, CA. 25.
March. 2014

California State University Dominguez Hills. About. CSUDH History 1960s-2010s. Web. 15 April.
2014.

East Asian Studies at Cal State Dominguez Hills. East Asian Course Offerings Pamphlet. California
State Dominguez Hills Department of Archives and Special Collections, Leo F. Cain Library,
Carson, CA. 25. March. 2014.

Hayes, Tut. Black caucus press release. California State Dominguez Hills Department of Archives
and Special Collections, Leo F. Cain Library, Carson, CA. 25. March. 2014.

Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning. California State University Dominguez Hills.
Student Enrollment by Ethnicity. Print. 15 April. 2014

Works Cited Cont.

Mexican American Interdepartmental Program, California State Dominguez Hills. Mexican
American Studies Course Description Booklet. California State Dominguez Hills Department of
Archives and Special Collections, Leo F. Cain Library, Carson, CA. 25. March. 2014.

Meucci, Adrianna. Diversity: Black Brown White Tan; CSU Dominguez Hills Celebrates the
Richness. The Hispanic outlook for higher education II.7 (2001): 1-19. Print. 15 April. 2014.

Williams, Gregory L. California State University, Dominguez Hills The campus History Series.
South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2010. Print.