The University of California, Davis has announced the opening of the Center for African Diaspora Student Success on campus. The new center will offer on-site tutoring services, academic advising, and mental health counseling. It also will serve as a community gathering place for Black students. The facility includes meeting and study areas as well as offices for tutors and counselors.
Linda Katehi, chancellor of the University of California, Davis, said that “we want to enhance the undergraduate experience for African-American students. We are taking a holistic approach to address students’ needs and support them all the way through graduation.”
Blacks make up less than 4 percent of the student body at the university. The graduation rate for Black students is nearly 20 percentage points below the rate for White students. The new Center hopes to not only make the university more attractive for recruiting Black students but also to help them achieve success once they enroll.
Mariah K. Watson, who is the first African American woman to serve as president of the student body said “the center is going to be a beacon of hope for many African American students.”
