Possible merger with other ethnic studies programs risks loss of identity, faculty say.
By Jessica Valencia, Co-Managing Editor
During the 1950s and 1960s, Mexican-American students in Los Angeles had a 60% dropout rate compared to their white counterparts. At some schools, teachers recommended Chicanx students enroll in courses designed for special education, while staff at others prohibited students from speaking Spanish or discouraged them from pursuing post-secondary education.
The disparity spurred a protest movement, leading to the East LA Walkouts of 1968. More than 15,000 students participated in the weeklong demonstration, also known as the Blowouts. Seeking to address discrimination in classrooms, activists organized and presented a list of demands to the Los Angeles Board of Education.
The board ultimately rejected the demands, citing a lack of funding. The Blowouts became one of the largest student protests in U.S. history and laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the Chicana and Chicano Studies program at CSUDH.
More than 50 years after faculty established the department, it now faces an uncertain future amid the budget crisis affecting the 23-campus California State University system.
CSUDH is wrestling with a $12 million cut to its operating budget this year as part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ongoing efforts to address the state’s budget deficit. The reduction also stems from rising operational costs across the CSU system and declining enrollment in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January, CSUDH launched an audit of its operations to determine how best to allocate resources. On Sept. 8, the university released the findings of the Huron Report. The report’s market analysis of undergraduate disciplines placed ethnic studies among the lowest-ranked programs.
Based on the report’s recommendations, the university may have to reconsider some programs, or in the case of Chicanx Studies, merge them with other ethnic studies to form a single discipline.
On Sept. 8, CSUDH released the findings of the Huron Report, a months-long audit of the university’s finances amid the budget shortfall. The report’s market analysis of undergraduate disciplines placed ethnic studies among the lowest-ranked programs
In a Sept. 22 email to The Bulletin, a CSUDH spokesperson said no degree programs are currently at risk of elimination.
Still, as the possibility of a merger looms over the department, some faculty are questioning the future of their jobs and whether the university will be able to live up to the social justice aspect of its academic mission.
Rosario Martínez Pogar, the Chicanx Studies chair, described the atmosphere in the department as “one of uncertainty.” Martínez Pogar told The Bulletin that she doesn’t know what protections could help to preserve the ethnic studies programs at CSUDH.
Even before the Huron Report was released, changes were already underway in the department. Last fall, Chicanx Studies students lost a key resource when the Chicanx Research Database was removed, cutting off access to scholarship that supported projects, identity research, and the broader history of Chicanx culture.
“I know it is not just our database though,” said Laraine Perez, a senior Chicanx Studies student. “Others as well, I just know about ours because I went searching for specific articles and they weren’t available anymore.”
Latinx and Hispanic Toros account for 68% of the student population, according to the 2025 CSUDH Fact Sheet. In recent years, the university has ranked among the nation’s top schools for educating and graduating Latinx students.
In 2021, the Fulbright Program recognized CSUDH as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)—a federal designation for colleges and universities where such students make up at least 25% of the full-time equivalent enrollment.
As an HSI, the university is eligible to compete for funding to support programs, facilities and services that improve access to educational opportunities, particularly for underserved communities. In an October 2024 article published by the university’s Campus News Center, officials said HSI status helps Toros feel more connected and supported.
“We know a sense of belonging helps students persist, come back every year, continue to sit through these challenging classes and to learn what it takes to be successful in school,” said Bobbie Porter, the school’s vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. “It’s directly connected to their sense of belonging and connection on campus.” in an interview regarding HSI listed on the university website.
In light of the cuts, Perez accused the university of being committed to Latinx and Hispanic communities in name only.
Perez wondered: “Isn’t it funny how an institution and administration will use the name and history of Chicanx [and] Latine folks to uplift the campus, but then go on to be unsupportive to its community members?”