UC Berkeley College of Engineering Eliminiates Diversity Program

The goal of the Center for Underrepresented Engineering Students (CUES) is to help UC Berkeley recruit and retain the brightest students of color (both undergraduate and graduate).

It was stated recently that CUES will be eliminated and "absorbed" by a new center (Engineering Student Services). Below is a letter received by future ex-employees of a program called "Summer 2009 Pre-Engineering Program (PREP aka Bootcamp)". This program is for underrepresented incoming engineering freshmen with the goal of helping them acclimate to their new environment and assure retention.

Please help in making sure UC Berkeley keeps diversity a top priority as they have done in the past. Please send to your network, it takes two seconds of your time.

Top priorities:

- Draft a letter to the Dean of College of Engineering explaining the mistake COE is making

- I'm a Latino, so things have to be loud. Make sure media outlets are aware of the issue (Univision, NBC, Telemundo, Fox, ABC)

- Someone to take charge of this movement (I'm studying for my qualifying exam and I need to focus, but I wanted to start the movement)

The letter received by the summer program instructors/RAs:

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Dear Instructors and RA’s,

We regret to inform you that the Summer 2009 Pre-Engineering Program (PREP aka Bootcamp) has been cancelled. We apologize for the timing and for any inconvenience this may cause.

The College of Engineering has announced that as of July 1, 2009, the Engineering Student Affairs Office and the Center for Underrepresented Engineering Students (CUES) will be integrated into a new organization, Engineering Student Services (ESS), reporting to incoming Executive Associate Dean Masayoshi Tomizuka. Yesterday, we were formally notified that our appointments as Academic Coordinators in the College will end in September.
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