Largest Public University in US Requires Ethnic Studies

California State University has approved a vote requiring all students to take an ethnic¹ and social justice studies class in order to graduate.

The decision came in late July from the largest public university system in the United States, commonly known as Cal State.

The change is set to take effect in three years. The decision comes in the middle of a national reckoning over systemic racism² and police abuse. It represents the first change to the school's general education program in more than 40 years.

The state Legislature is also considering a bill to require ethnic studies. However, it would not include social justice classes. If passed and signed by California's governor, the measure would overrule the action by California State University. School leaders have denounced this possibility, saying it would interfere³ with university decision-making.

State lawmakers still have to examine small changes to the bill before it could be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom.

The plan approved by California State University lets students choose from different ethnic studies subjects to meet the requirement. Cal State's selection is wider than the state bill.

Students at Cal State, for example, can take social justice courses that explore such issues as the criminal justice system and public health inequities.

Chancellor⁴ Timothy White is among the leadership at Cal State. Before voting in favor of the class requirement, he said, "It's grounded in ethnic studies, but it is broader, more inclusive, gives students choice."

Lawmaker Shirley Weber is a San Diego Democrat⁵ and former professor. She wrote the Legislature's bill. The university's trustees and state lawmakers agree on the need for more ethnic studies. But Weber and supporters of her proposal say permitting social justice classes makes the university's plan weaker.

"This is not a requirement for ethnic studies," trustee Silas Abrego said before the vote. He was one of the few members to vote against the Cal State plan. Instead, he favors Weber's bill.

He said the ethnic studies professors were not included in discussions about the proposal.

Weber's bill would take effect in the 2021-2022 school year. It would require students to take a class centered on Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans or Latina and Latino Americans.

The university's proposal would take effect in the 2023-2024 school year. The university's plan would cost $3 million to $4 million, while the state bill is estimated to need $16 million.

Tony Thurmond a top official for public education in the state. He is also on the Cal State University board. He voted against the university's proposal. He spoke⁶ in favor of the state bill's method that centered on the four ethnic studies subjects.

Weber, who leads the Legislative⁷ Black Caucus⁸, has written that her bill was needed because the university was too slow to act. It announced ethnic studies plans almost five years ago.

Weber noted⁹ that the California Faculty¹⁰ Association, a labor¹¹ union, supports her bill. The group represents 29,000 professors at California State University. It has said the aim should be teaching students about the experiences of minorities and people of color in the United States.

Trustee Lateefah Simon called the school's proposal thoughtful and detailed¹², but she voted against it. She said its "social justice umbrella" plan might cause students to miss out on ethnic studies education.

I'm Alice Bryant.

Words in This Story

graduate – v. to earn a degree or diploma from a school, college or university

reckoning – n. the time when your actions are judged as good or bad and you are rewarded or punished

chancellor – n. the head of some U.S. universities

broad – adj. including or involving many things or people

trustee – n. a member of a group that manages the money of an organization

board – n. a group of people who manage or direct a company or organization

caucus – n. a group of people who meet to discuss a particular issue or to work together for a shared, usually political goal

umbrella – n. something that includes several or many different things

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

3 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

4 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

5 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

8 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

11 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

12 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。