Increase in Overall EnrollmentUC San Diego has increased student enrollment by more than 10,700 undergraduate students and more than 2,400 graduate students since 2012. This represents a tremendous increase in access to public higher education at a top research university. |
Undergraduate Enrollment
|
Graduate Enrollment |
Positive Upward Trend in Graduation RatesSuch growth in overall numbers is most impactful when graduation rates also rise. UC San Diego has steadily increased graduation rates for all student demographics over the last decade and equity gaps are closing. This data also shows progress towards meeting the 2030 goals for graduation rates, demonstrating UC San Diego’s commitment to increasing overall and timely graduation rates for all students. |
|
|
Delivering Results
UC San Diego aspires to be a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented, public research university. To achieve this vision, and our goal of being a destination for education, art, culture and healthcare, the campus community is pursuing excellence through profound transformations:
- Intellectual transformation through a focus on scholarly, pedagogical, artistic and medical initiatives that draw a diversity of disciplines and approaches
- Physical transformation that can support a growing, and increasingly diverse student cohort
- Cultural transformation through pursuit of bold ideas that reinforce the spirit of our campus' development, forging ahead to make new discoveries and connect more cohesively with our local community and beyond
Below, we describe some of the ways our campus, through the leadership of Academic Affairs, is achieving this redefinition of the public research university.
Expanded Diversity of Newly Enrolled Student CohortsIt is noteworthy that as UC San Diego's enrollment has increased, the diversity of the student body has grown at an even faster rate.
|
Increase in Faculty Numbers and DiversityThrough targeted investment in interdisciplinary recruitments and cluster hires, UC San Diego has increased the number of Senate faculty significantly as the student body has grown. Importantly, the diversity of the faculty and the breadth of the perspectives they can offer students have grown faster than the overall increase in numbers.
|
|
|
Students Utilizing the Teaching + Learning CommonsThe Teaching + Learning Commons continues to expand its reach as undergraduate enrollment continues to grow. The Commons now directly serves about 25% of undergraduate students. |
|
Most student visitors come to the Commons multiple times per year, often 4-6 times annually. |
|
|
Impact of Teaching + Learning Commons on Student PerformanceRecent data shows that students making regular use of the Supplemental Instruction program in The Commons have greater academic success, especially in challenging entry-level courses. Notably, while all students benefit, the impact is greatest for underrepresented students and First-Generation college students; this demonstrates that Supplemental Instruction assists in closing equity gaps.
This visual includes all data for five full years:
With regular attendance at multiple Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions, DFW rates decline and equity gaps shrink. Students who are first generation and/or underrepresented consistently comprise about half of all SI attendees, returning for multiple sessions at a rate on par or exceeding that of their classmates. This work will continue with a focus on equitable excellence, prioritizing areas of highest impact. |
|
|
Engagement of the Teaching + Learning Commons with FacultyThe Teaching + Learning Commons now regularly works with hundreds of faculty each year, advancing teaching excellence through helping instructors improve their evidence-based, learner-centered, and equitable teaching practices.Scale of Faculty Engagement: 2024-2025
|
Growth in Participants in Summer Bridge
Providing opportunities for all students to feel supported and prepared for their academic experience at UC San Diego is a critical piece of our overall strategy to reduce equity gaps. Summer Bridge welcomes all incoming first-year students, but prioritizes students who are first-generation or from underserved backgrounds. The five-week, student-centered program promotes a smooth and successful transition from high school to university through selected courses and highly-personalized connections and resources that continue through the academic year. Starting in 2021, a Collective Impact approach was employed, significantly increasing the overall enrollment in Summer Bridge, with an extremely high level of these students persisting at the university after the program's summer component.|
|
|
Summer Bridge Retention Rates for First Gen StudentsFirst-Generation students who attended Summer Bridge, whether in person or remotely, saw increased 1-year retention rates. This confirms the support program's structure and content is similarly impactful whether delivered in-person or remotely. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer Session Enrollment GrowthOne of the ways to support academic success and reduce time to graduation is to increase participation in summer session. In the last few years, we observed that offering online courses during summer session dramatically increased summer enrollments, a trend that has continued post-pandemic. Academic Affairs is working with departments, colleges, and the Academic Senate to ensure that high-quality distance education options continue to be available to support students in the summer. |
