Accompanied by a UCLA student raised in the foster care system, the University of California's vice president for student affairs reported to the UC Board of Regents today (Nov. 19) that the number of UC campuses offering programs to increase access and support for former foster children has more than tripled in three years.

UC Vice President Judy Sakaki emphasized, however, that there is more work to be done, including increasing outreach efforts to bridge the gap between high school and college for foster youth.

With UCLA sophomore Ashley Williams at her side, Sakaki said approximately 150 former foster youth began studies at UC campuses in the 2008-09 academic year, including Williams, who is majoring in sociology with a minor in education.

Sakaki noted that in 2006, the last time the Regents were briefed about foster youth, only two campuses had programs — UC Santa Cruz and UC Irvine. Today, nearly all of UC's 10 campuses have programs.
These programs, Sakaki said, all feature elements that ensure the success of former foster youth, providing year-round housing, financial support, academic advising and career counseling, personal counseling, community engagement and assistance with planning transitions to both college and employment. The university has also joined the California College Pathways Project, a partnership aimed at increasing the number of foster youth in California who enter and successfully participate in higher education.

"Each year more than 3,000 young people in California age out of foster care with no permanent family," Sakaki said. "Fewer than half of foster youth graduate from high school, and fewer than 3 percent graduate from college. At UC, we're committed to ensuring access and support for those who aspire to a college degree despite the obstacles."

In her first year at UCLA, Williams helped to facilitate the creation of UCLA's Guardian Scholars program, which supports former foster youth enrolled at the university.

"I am grateful to have people supporting me," Williams told the Regents, "but I felt that other youth might not receive the same support and assistance. I expressed to staff that I wanted to start something here on campus for foster youth, and they began to tell me about a program they were already creating called the Guardian Scholars program. Together, with other former foster youth, we began to imagine what the program could look like," she said. "This fall, UCLA successfully held its first Guardian Scholars reception."

Former foster youth at UC also have benefited from legislative efforts. Most recently, UC supported AB 669 (Fong), which allows an exception to the uniform residency requirements for a student 19 years of age or under; and AB 1393 (Skinner), which gives current and former foster youth priority for year-round student housing. Both bills were signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in October.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, who requested the update as a member of the Board of Regents, said, "This is an invisible population that needs our attention. Legislation and other efforts help the university to provide the guidance and support these students desperately need to develop into successful adults."