By John R. Adkins
San Francisco State University will automatically admit City College students and the San Francisco Unified School District under a new partnership, education officials announced on Oct. 23.
Enrollment at SF State has declined by 24% since 2018, falling from over 25,000 full-time equivalent students to fewer than 19,000, resulting in a $16 million deficit for the school. The guaranteed-admission pathway is designed to keep more students in the city and is said to “eliminate the uncertainty” from the application process.
“Without SFUSD, the [California State University] struggles to exist; without CCSF transfers, the CSU in SF will have a hard time doing its work,” Jamillah Moore, vice president for student affairs at SF State, told The Guardsman.
Students who meet eligibility requirements will now receive a postcard in the mail that reads “Congratulations! You’re in!” Qualifying students must still file the necessary paperwork to finalize their admission.
To qualify, City College transfer students must finish at least 60 transferable units with a minimum 2.0 GPA across all colleges attended.
More than 50 people attended the press conference held behind San Francisco State’s new Science and Engineering Innovation Center to celebrate the launch of the new student pathway. Speakers included SF State’s President Lynn Mahoney, SFUSD Superintendent Maria Sue and City College Chancellor Kimberlee Messina.
College enrollment nationwide is still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Mahoney said San Francisco’s post-pandemic recovery and continued success relies on its public education.
Sue said the city will benefit from the students who continue their education to become future employees in San Francisco.
“By knowing in advance that they have this opportunity, we truly believe our students will be empowered with the confidence to stay focused in their education,” she said.
“City College is deeply proud to stand with two women-led institutions, San Francisco State and SFUSD. We are united by one mission to keep education accessible, affordable and equitable for all,” Messina said. “Together, we are not just preparing to support you; we are willing to realize the views and contributions to this great city.”