The number of prospective first-time freshmen accepting offers of admission from UC Davis for fall 1999 climbed 5.7 percent this year, while the number of students from underrepresented ethnic groups intending to enroll fell 7 percent. Students from historically underrepresented groups -- African American, American Indian, Chicano and Latino -- held relatively steady in this year's admit pool (12.5 percent compared to last year's 13.2 percent), but 38 fewer students than last year indicated they'll enroll this fall. Underrepresented students comprise 12.6 percent of those intending to register, compared to 14.3 percent in 1998 and 14.9 percent in 1997 -- the last year race, ethnicity or gender were permitted to be considered in admissions. "This year's incoming class, drawn from throughout the state of California, continues to be academically accomplished and well-rounded," said Carol Wall, vice chancellor for student affairs. "We're pleased they've chosen UC Davis for their studies and eagerly await their arrival in September. "Our only disappointment focuses upon the lower numbers of students from groups historically underrepresented at UC," she said. "Our staff, students, faculty and administrators worked hard to attract an increasingly diverse class, but we suspect that greater opportunity at UCLA and UC Berkeley this year may have pulled some of our recruits in other directions. We will continue to strengthen our efforts -- both short term and long -- to ensure that prospective students understand all that Davis has to offer and are competitively eligible for admission." Nearly 4,300 underrepresented students plan to attend the University of California next fall compared to 4,141 underrepresented students in fall 1998, an increase of 3.7 percent over last fall. Gains were registered at UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine and UC Riverside. UC Davis students accepting admission offers who identified themselves as members of historically underrepresented groups numbered 498, compared to 536 in both 1998 and 1997 (a decrease of 7 percent). Declines were registered for African Americans, from 104 (in 1998) to 92 (in 1999) or 11.5 percent; for American Indians, from 39 to 28 or 28.2 percent; for Chicanos, from 286 to 277 or 3.1 percent; and for Latinos, from 107 to 101 or 5.6 percent. Students identifying themselves as Asian American increased by 12.3 percent this year, from 1,327 to 1,490. Caucasian students increased by 24 percent, from 1,304 to 1,618. Students identified as other ethnicities increased by 20.9 percent, from 62 to 75. The number of students not claiming an ethnicity sharply decreased this year, dropping by 45.8 percent from 517 to 280. Outreach Efforts The Davis campus continued to make extra efforts to encourage admitted students -- particularly underrepresented students -- to enroll, said Gary Tudor, director of undergraduate admissions and outreach services. "There were lots of phone calls made, many get-acquainted days scheduled, several summer programs held and numerous visits to campus arranged," Tudor said. Surveys of last fall's admitted students are helping the campus better understand how the campus may be perceived by prospective students, he said. A follow-up poll of high- school counselors and parents is planned for the summer. A new student-funded center to support student-led outreach and retention efforts is also expected to help boost the campus's success in attracting underrepresented students. This summer and fall, UC Davis will bring students, teachers and counselors to campus for residential enrichment programs, research and curriculum development institutes, teaching skill enhancement and a comprehensive introduction to UC's northernmost campus. Some 60 high school and college counselors in the Los Angeles Unified School District will be hosted by the campus in July, September and October. The visits are part of UC's Los Angeles Basin Initiative, intended to increase the number of LA-area graduates who are competitively eligible for admission to UC. The state's largest concentration of African American and Latino students are enrolled in LA County's public schools. "Research affirms the important role counselors play in helping students determine which school would be the best fit," Tudor said. "A large number of Southern California counselors are unfamiliar with us, so we're eager to have them take a closer look at our academic and community environment." The admissions office is also investing more funding in campus visits for Bay Area and Central Valley prospective students. Perhaps the most effective, though longest-term, effort is the campus's partnership with two Sacramento-area school districts, two high schools and their feeder middle and elementary schools. The partnership, which will expand to include greater numbers of schools, is designed to increase the number of disadvantaged students prepared for admission to UC, California State University and California community colleges and to create a model program that can be expanded throughout the state and nation. "The campus is deeply committed to this long-term effort," Student Affairs' Wall said. Recruitment Process This year, a record 22,683 applications were reviewed. Of the 14,151 applicants of-fered admission, 3,961 indicated by the May 1 deadline that they intend to register next fall. When the new academic year gets under way in September, the freshman class is expected to settle in at approximately 3,810, with overall enrollment anticipated to increase by about 600.