UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

Do Native American students, faculty, and staff at select University of California (UC) campuses feel that their interests are recognized and represented within the UC system? This research analyzes the opportunities and barriers Native Americans face in higher education in the United States. In the United States, Native Americans have the lowest enrollment and graduation rates of all racial and ethnic minority groups that seek out higher education and are the only group to have not experienced a consistent rise in attendance. If the University of California system wants to improve the experience of the Native American demographic at UC campuses, then understanding their experiences is critical.