How Sacramento State is becoming a statewide hub for Black student success

Sacramento State will be the home of a new center for Black student success to develop programs across the 23-campus California State University system and in underserved communities throughout the state, officials announced Thursday.

An initial $1.3 million will fund the CSU Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence, part of $10 million to stand up initiatives to promote the success of Black students. It will build off a slate of recommendations laid out last June in the university system’s Black Student Success Report.

System-wide early outreach, culturally relevant curriculum and building the infrastructure needed to support student success were among the proposals and could potentially be put into action through the new California State University, Sacramento-based office.

The mission of the statewide hub, said CSU Chancellor Mildred García, is “not only to accelerate action and drive change across our 23 universities, but, clearly demonstrate our institution’s deep commitment to becoming a national leader in Black student success.”

Sacramento State campus is home to the largest Black student enrollment in the statewide system. Nearly 2,000 students who identify as Black or African American are enrolled at Sacramento State, representing 6% of the total student population.

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Black enrollment and achievement have taken on greater urgency in the California State University, the nation’s largest four-year university system. CSU leaders launched Graduation Initiative 2025 to increase Black student enrollment and boost the numbers of students of color in the system but equity gaps persist.

Sacramento State President Luke Wood was a member of a working group that crafted the Black Student Success Report and recommendations while he was a vice president at San Diego State University. The recommendations by Wood and other leaders were seen as a call to action to reverse the enrollment slide.

A CSU statewide office selection committee, which included members from the original working group, chose Sacramento State for its “proven success in supporting Black students, staff and faculty, and addressing inequities and achievement gaps within the Black student community.”

During Wood’s short time as university president, he has positioned the university as a leader in advancing Black students’ success. In February, Wood announced a first-in-the-nation Black Honors College to open this fall, with curriculum and instruction that focuses on the Black and African American experience and features specialized coursework and research opportunities.

The university also recently launched the Sac State Black Success Initiative, with its goals to advance student achievement, develop a task force of faculty, students, staff, alumni and donors, and increase recruitment and retention among other targets.

In a statement announcing the new statewide office, Wood said the new office “acknowledges our work and success.”

“We know our success will be reflected and multiplied by the work that will be done here on behalf of the entire CSU,” Luke said.