Our History
In July 1995, the University of California Board of Regents passed resolution SP-1, a policy eliminating considerations of race, ethnicity, and gender in admissions. This policy posed new challenges to the University’s efforts to create a diverse student body that reflected the state’s population.
In response to the potential impact of SP-1 on diversity in future student enrollment, the Regents established the Outreach Task Force to identify ways in which to outreach.
In response to its findings, the Task Force proposed a four-point outreach strategy that included
- School-centered strategies
- Academic development programs
- Informational outreach
- University research and evaluation
Recognizing the significant outreach by students taking place on each of the campuses, UC President Atkinson made a specific recommendation to the chancellors that they set aside a portion of the outreach budget for student-initiated projects.
(The Regents of the University of California, Committee on Educational Policy minutes, September 17. 1998, p.10)
Our Mission
The Student Initiated Outreach Program (SIOP) empowers Registered Campus Organizations (RCO) to participate in student-led outreach to inspire, motivate, and guide historically underrepresented and income-eligible, pre-college youth and transfer students. Student-initiated outreach fosters holistic development for prospective college students while encouraging RCO members to act as dynamic leaders for their communities and accept the challenge of creating a society that provides a quality, culturally sensitive, comprehensive education for students of all backgrounds.
SIOP serves as steward of State funding for student-led outreach projects. RCOs are invited to submit outreach project proposals through the annual grant writing competition. SIOP's primary function is to advise RCOs in successful grant proposals, assist in the development of their outreach projects, and report outcomes of these projects to the University of California Office of the President.
Retention Objective
To provide undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to engage in the campus community as civil leaders through concentrated participation in a registered campus organization.
Outreach Objective
To promote and support academic preparation, leadership development, and culturally enriching programs for pre-college eligible youth and community college students (K-12 community college).
Additional Information
Due to university policy, SIOP programs do not include overnight campus accommodations this academic year. The SIOP Committee will support and encourage those groups that would like to offer hybrid outreach programs to high schools.
We are looking forward to hearing your creative ideas.
The application process will open in October and the application deadline will be December 1, 2024. In the meantime, contact us with your new ideas and questions about this new process and format.
SIOP Workshop A:
Student Leadership Retreat: October 5, 2024, Time: TBD
Please do not hesitate to reach out to:
SIOP intern: Chris Ison
SIOP Director: Viviana Marsano