# My alma mater is in the inaugural class of Black-Serving Institutions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2026, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556 "2026-01-11T08:40:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/1 "2026-01-11T08:40:34Z")
[My alma mater is in the inaugural class of Black-Serving Institutions.](https://boards.straightdope.com/%5BFodor's%20has%20a%20new%20page%20for%20your%20upcoming%20international%20travel.%5D(https://www.fodors.com/news/news/this-is-a-really-scary-question-that-travelers-need-to-start-asking)%20(The%20 **bolding** %20is%20mine.)%20%20%5Bquote%5D%20What%20should%20you%20do%20if%20there's%20a%20military%20strike%20while%20you're%20traveling%20abroad?%20%20The%20%5Bmilitary%20strikes%20in%20Venezuela%5D(https://www.fodors.com/news/news/venezuela-military-action-disrupts-caribbean-flightswhat-travelers-should-know)%20and%20subsequent%20provocative%20comments%20from%20the%20U.S%20.administration%20have%20left%20many%20wondering%20whether%20further%20military%20action%20in%20the%20Americas%20is%20forthcoming.%20While%20the%20threat%20of%20future%20strikes%20outside%20Venezuela%20is%20unlikely,%20given%20that%20the%20United%20States%20maintains%20diplomatic%20relations%20with%20the%20remaining%20countries%20in%20the%20Americas%20and%20has%20more%20diplomatic%20channels%20to%20address%20relations.%20%20 **But%20what%20should%20travelers%20do%20if%20they%E2%80%99re%20planning%20to%20travel%20to%20Greenland,%20Mexico,%20Colombia,%20Panama,%20Cuba,%20or%20any%20other%20country%20where%20the%20President%20has%20either%20hinted%20or%20threatened%20military%20action?** %20If%20a%20military%20strike%20ultimately%20comes%20to%20pass%20while%20they%E2%80%99re%20in%20the%20country,%20how%20should%20American%20travelers%20plan%20to%20respond?%20%5B/quote%5D%20%20I%27m%20going%20to%20post%20this%20in%20MPSIMS%20shortly,%20but%20I%20have%20a%20comment%20about%20it%20which%20fits%20here.%20I%20just%20got%20this%20information%20in%20my%20E-mail%20although%20it%20was%20dated%20last%20month.%20%5BMy%20alma%20mater%20is%20in%20the%20inaugural%20class%20of%20Black-Serving%20Institutions!%5D(https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-designated-black-serving-institution)%20%20%5Bquote%5D%20The%20University%20of%20California,%20Davis,%20is%20in%20the%20inaugural%20class%20of%20California%20universities%20and%20colleges%20designated%20as%20Black-Serving%20Institutions,%20or%20BSIs,%20under%20a%20state%20initiative%20recognizing%20those%20that%20%E2%80%9Cexcel%20at%20providing%20academic%20resources%20to%20Black%20and%20African%20American%20students.%E2%80%9D%20%20%20The%20program%20awarded%20the%20designation%20last%20week%20to%20UC%20Davis%20and%2030%20other%20institutions%20including%20UC%20Berkeley;%20three%20California%20State%20University,%20or%20CSU,%20campuses;%2025%20California%20community%20colleges;%20and%20one%20private%20university.%20%5B/quote%5D%20%20Yes,%20it%27s%20a%20given%20a%20California%20public%20university%20is%20woke.%20But%20now%20we%20know%20exactly%20how%20woke%20it%20is.%20I,%20for%20one,%20am%20very%20proud%20to%20be%20associated%20with%20such%20an%20organization.%20%20Now%20let%27s%20see%20when%20Rip%20van%20Simple%20and%20his%20simpletons%20freak%20out%20about%20the%20designation.) > [@](#): > > The University of California, Davis, is in the inaugural class of California universities and colleges designated as Black-Serving Institutions, or BSIs, under a state initiative recognizing those that “excel at providing academic resources to Black and African American students.” > > The program awarded the designation last week to UC Davis and 30 other institutions including UC Berkeley; three California State University, or CSU, campuses; 25 California community colleges; and one private university. > > “UC Davis is dedicated to the success of our students, and this designation demonstrates to current and prospective students that a robust network of resources is here to foster their belonging and help them thrive through to graduation and beyond,” said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May. > > “Our university celebrates and supports Black excellence, history and futures in our commitment to serving California’s diverse population,” added May, who is one of eight members of the program’s governing board. The announcement is dated December 16, 2025, but I just got it in my E-mail today. Good job, UCD! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/2 "2026-01-11T18:22:57Z")
That’s great. One side question - do people generally consider each campus of the state university a separate institution? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/3 "2026-01-11T18:32:18Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > One side question - do people generally consider each campus of the state university a separate institution In California definitely. UC Berkeley and say UC Merced are completely different institutions. UC Berkeley is prestigious, internationally known, university. UC Merced not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/4 "2026-01-11T18:54:21Z")
This acknowledgement will help Black students find colleges where they might feel more comfortable but there is a possible adverse side effect for those less diverse universities which are earnestly trying to attract more Black students. Diversity has been a struggle for Cal Poly (in my town) due to regional demographics and a focus on Agriculture. On the upside, this may make them up their game, on the downside Cal Poly may get a lot less Black applicants. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/5 "2026-01-12T00:12:57Z")
hate to be Debbie-Downer but wait for Trump to find out and they’re going to lose any Fed funding they get ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/6 "2026-01-12T01:05:33Z")
That’s why I made a Pitesque comment about him in the cluster thread in The Pit when I posted this same story. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/7 "2026-01-12T03:16:14Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Diversity has been a struggle for Cal Poly (in my town) due to regional demographics and a focus on Agriculture. I thought UC-Davis was California’s predominant campus for Agriculture. Not to mention that Davis and Yolo County have a tiny Black population. Doesn’t seem to have hurt their reputation with Black students. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/8 "2026-01-12T14:54:17Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > > [@MrDibble](#): > > > > One side question - do people generally consider each campus of the state university a separate institution > > In California definitely. UC Berkeley and say UC Merced are completely different institutions. UC Berkeley is prestigious, internationally known, university. UC Merced not so much. Yeah, Merced is pretty much where you wind up when you can’t get into any of the other UC schools. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/9 "2026-01-12T15:31:10Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > I thought UC-Davis was California’s predominant campus for Agriculture. Davis is the Ag science and research school. Poly is practical applications. So Davis gets the scientists and Poly gets the farmers (often from wealthy land-owning families). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/10 "2026-01-12T18:25:16Z")
Would y’all be referring to Cal Poly Humboldt, Pomona, or San Luis Obispo? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/11 "2026-01-12T20:58:28Z")
When its just Cal Poly, it refers to the one in San Luis Obispo. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/12 "2026-01-12T21:09:52Z")
Hmm. I’m not disputing you. Certainly SLO was the first Cal Poly with the others built later as satellites. And like “Cal” for what’s now termed UC Berkeley, they deserve, or at least retain, pride of place with the shortened form of the name. But growing up in SoCal, if somebody said “Cal Poly” we knew they meant Pomona. The ones farther away would be the ones to get additional qualification. Nowadays there’s evidently no superior / subordinate relationship between any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/13 "2026-01-12T21:18:55Z")
Just type www.calpoly.edu into your browser. Unlike the other campuses, the name of the town has never been part of its name. The official name is California Polytechnic State University. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-alma-mater-is-in-the-inaugural-class-of-black-serving-institutions/1026556/14 "2026-01-13T05:19:39Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Davis is the Ag science and research school. Poly is practical applications. So Davis gets the scientists and Poly gets the farmers (often from wealthy land-owning families). Public tertiary education in California is divided into three segments: University of California, California State University, and community colleges. The UC system is more research, the CSU system is more application, and community of college is a more accessible option which leads to the other two.