Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC) was recently awarded two grants from the federal Department of Education geared toward encouraging academic success among African American students.

The first grant will fund a five-year program that will allow LASC to improve the educational outcomes of Black students at the school through the Freshman Experience Project. The effort will help approximately 125 incoming freshmen each year with academics and achieve success.

LONG BEACH, Calif.—The California State University Board of Trustees approved a 9 percent tuition hike for the 2012-13 school year today, despite a vocal student protest that disrupted the panel’s meeting as police tried to usher people out of the meeting room.