UCLA has become an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), joining over 200 other institutions across the nation that share this designation.
Seventeen years ago, Congress established the designation, enabling universities to secure federal funding to address the unique challenges faced by these students. Approximately 35.1% of graduates at UCLA identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI). The additional funding can be used to support research, program development, and student services focused on improving the college experience for this historically underrepresented group—Many AANHPI students hail from low-income families and are the first in their families to attend college.
UCLA
“The new AANAPISI designation will allow UCLA to tap new sources of funding that will help us foster a welcoming and supportive environment where all students can thrive,” said UCLA’s Interim Chancellor, Dr. Darnell Hunt. He said that the additional funds could also boost existing resources and help to create new programs focused on outreach, retention, and mentoring, specifically tailored to the specific needs of AANHPI students who often navigate academic life as first-generation college students
Dr. David Yoo, vice provost and chair of the UCLA AANAPISI advisory committee David said that UCLA’s motivation in pursuing the designation was rooted in its overall vision.
“At the heart of UCLA's AANAPISI effort is building a comprehensive and sustainable ecosystem in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander students, their families and communities,” said Yoo. “As part of the larger Minority Serving Institution (MSI) network that includes HSIs, Tribal Colleges, and HBCUs, the AANAPISI program aligns squarely with the pillars of UCLA's Strategic Plan and our public mission as a university.”
When it comes to students from the AANHPI demographic, the model minority stereotype often overshadows the disparities that exist within specific student groups, noted Willa Mei Kurland, a graduate student and project manager for the University of California AANAPISI initiative, a system-wide effort.
“The UCLA AANAPISI designation represents the importance of understanding the various lived experiences of students on campus,” Kurland said, emphasizing the distinct needs of the nearly 50 ethnic groups that fall under the AANHPI category.
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students, for example, have historically faced lower admission and graduation rates at the university. From 2016 to 2022, the number of applicants from this demographic nearly doubled, yet acceptance rates remained low, highlighting a critical need for additional support.
Genevieve Chin, a fourth-year undergraduate student who served on the UCLA committee, agreed that it was about “breaking down the monolith” of what it means to be Asian American. “There are a lot of different groups that deserve different approaches if we want equity,” said Chin, a computer science major.
For example, while the number of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander applicants nearly doubled between 2016 and 2022, soaring from 743 to 1,280, their admittance had topped out around 100 students during those years. Disaggregated data showed that the average admit rate between 2018 and 2022 was extremely low for groups such as Hmong and Samoan where only 4.43% and 7.11%, respectively, of those ethnicities that applied were admitted.
Enrollment data also showed that Bangladeshi, Indonesian, Cambodian, Sri Lankan, Thai, Laotian, Hmong and Malaysian had some of the lowest percentages of students among Asian American ethnic groups. Groups like Tongan, Native Hawaiian and Guamanian/Chamorro never made up more than 1.00% of the total Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander student enrollment, while graduation rates for transfers were also low for several groups, including Thai (25.00%), Sri Lankan (50.00%) and Japanese (61.54%).
In addition to benefiting UCLA students directly, Yoo sees the program as part of a broader effort towards “inclusive excellence” across the University of California system. All nine UC undergraduate campuses are now AANAPISI-designated, and several, including UCLA, are also working toward gaining Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) status. Such a dual designation, he added, reflects the university's broader goal to support diversity and equity across the student body, faculty, and campus culture.
“The formal work of AANAPISI at UCLA is in its very early stages, but it builds upon a legacy of programs in many different units across the campus such as academic and student affairs, admissions, academic support and retention programs, and alumni affairs,” said Yoo. “AANAPISI can boost the good work already happening as well as serve as a catalyst for new opportunities and collaborations.”
Dr. Robert Teranishi, chair of the University of California AANAPISI initiative, highlighted the significance of this collective effort. “It can be a model for other higher education systems throughout the country,” he said, noting that the UC system's strategic goals include foster supportive campus climates that not only enhance academic achievement but also community belonging for all underrepresented groups.
Yoo sees UCLA’s designation as an AANAPISI as the next step in a broader goal.
“The hope is that AANAPISI will be part of a larger MSI landscape in which we work together to advance the success of our students, families and communities,” he added.
