PULLING THE PLUG ON TAG — UCSD Chancellor Dr. Pradeep Khosla said he will terminate the 29-year-old transfer agreement with SWC and replace it with a program that he said would better serve South Bay students.
Photo by David McVicker

TAG, you’re no longer it.

First-year UCSD chancellor Dr. Pradeep Khosla announced he is ending the 29-year-old Transfer Admission Guarantee program which ensured UC transfer to students who maintained pre-agreed criteria. He is replacing it with University Connect, a program he insists will better serve South Bay students.

Mae Brown, UCSD Vice Chancellor and Director of Admissions, called it an upgrade for community college students of the southern region.

“University Connect is meant to serve the San Diego and Imperial Valley areas,” she said, “whereas TAG was meant to serve the entire state.”

Students and counselors said they had mixed feelings about the demise of TAG.

“It has been a positive relationship between Southwestern College and UCSD since TAG was implemented,” said counselor Norma Cazares. “UCSD implemented TAG to give students a chance of getting an education as well as reflect the demographics of the area.”

SWC Superintendent Dr. Melinda Nish said students from SWC have greatly benefited from this program in the past and have been successful. Many of the students who were in the TAG program were first-generation college students.

“In 2005-06 Southwestern College had 88 students transfer to UCSD and in 2011-12 we had 146 students transfer, our highest number yet,” she said.

Khosla said he has made it a goal to help students in the South Bay get into UCSD. He said he wants to open the doors to SWC students and University Connect is the best option.

“I believe it is important for UCSD to have strong ties with the South Bay community,” said Khosla. “UCSD should truly represent the community it is in and one step towards this is by helping South Bay students get to UCSD.”

Since he began his tenure as UCSD Chancellor in August, Khosla has visited different parts of the county and has spoken at an SWC reception organized by governing board member Norma Hernandez.

“There will be an increased number of students admitted into UCSD,” he said. “It is UCSD’s goal to give a chance for South Bay students to get into a good university. University Connect would be a big step for UCSD towards building strong ties with SWC and the South Bay community.”