SDSU’s own internal documents reveal that the true purpose of many of the strategies we have seen over the past decade—from dual admission in 2002 to the current requirement that students apply to a major or pre-major—is “so we can ‘deny’ more locals access….”

By Pat Washington, PhD

October 31, 2009 (San Diego)--Approximately two weeks before the application period for San Diego State University (SDSU) began, President Stephen Weber announced that, among other things, the budget crisis forced the university to eliminate the local student guaranteed admissions policy. The policy guaranteed admissions priority to CSU-eligible students in the SDSU service area. However, SDSU’s claims that changes to its admissions policy are driven by the state budget crisis don’t hold up under scrutiny.