This October, UC San Diego and the San Diego Foundation renamed their Black Alumni Scholarship Fund to the Goins Alumni Scholarship Fund, opening the scholarship to all applicants, regardless of race or ethnicity.
The now-named GASF is a scholarship fund provided by the SDF, named in honor of its founder, Dr. Lennon Goins, who was a Black UCSD alumnus and first-generation college student.
The GASF grants its recipients an annual award of $2,500 for their university expenses. All applicants must apply before their first quarter at UCSD. Incoming freshmen may receive up to $10,000 over four years, and transfer students may receive up to $5,000 over two years. It is no longer only open for Black students enrolling at UCSD, but for any incoming student who applies.
This change follows a lawsuit that accused the University of California Board of Regents, UCSD administration, and the SDF of engaging in racial discrimination “by conspiring with BASF to racially discriminate against students who seek scholarships,” citing a violation of Article 1, Section 31, of the California Constitution.
The Pacific Legal Foundation represented two plaintiffs: the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation and fourth-year Kai Peters, a white transfer student attending UCSD who was unable to apply for the BASF transfer scholarship. Peters is also a principal member of UCSD’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom, a conservative youth education activism organization and project of Young America’s Foundation.
CFER is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that urges Americans to combat “woke culture,” which they claim is eroding free speech, undermining competitiveness, and exacerbating kids’ mental health issues.
“It has invaded our schools, workplaces, and communities and homes,” CFER’s website reads. “In practice, it often takes on euphemisms such as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Racial Justice, Allyship, Critical Consciousness…”
The outcome of this case against the BASF reflects the ongoing efforts by President Donald Trump and his allies to eliminate programs that claim to uphold diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education.
The PLF has also represented other plaintiffs in cases against the UC system, such as an applicant for a position as a professor in developmental psychology at UC Santa Cruz who refused to enter information on their identity to comply with a mandatory diversity statement during the employment screening process. In response, the UC Regents directed its universities to eliminate any required diversity statements for new hires.
Some elite universities across the country have seen record lows in enrollment from Black students since the ban on affirmative action in 2023. As of 2024, Black students currently make up 3.4% of UCSD’s enrolled student population.
GASF will begin welcoming applications in mid-March from all qualified freshman applicants who have outstanding academic and community service records and who complete a transitional summer program. Transfer students may apply in mid-April.
