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Report indicates minority attendance at colleges on rise

MADISON, Wis.-Enrollment rates continuously climbed in the 1990s for black and Hispanic students at American colleges, according to a recent study by the American Council on Education.

However, the study also contained some unsettling news concerning both groups.

The most disturbing trend of the study revealed a rising high school dropout rate among students of color populations.

The report showed that the rate of black students to finish high school fell in the late 1990s, from 77 percent in 1990 to 75 percent in 1997. The number of Hispanic students receiving high school diplomas, though rising, is far behind that of whites and blacks. In 1997, 62 percent of Hispanics had completed high school compared to 58 percent in 1996, the report said.

Despite the decreasing graduation rate of students of color in high school, the report also showed a positive change in the number of students of color enrolled at universities.

The rise in students of color attending college nationally is reflected in the rise of the student of color population at UW, said Paul Barrows, vice chancellor of student affairs.

"The nation is up slightly, and we're up slightly as well," Barrows said. "Our real target population is at the state level."

On a national level, college attendance reached a record high of 45 percent in 1997, including a record high of 40 percent of black students.

The number of Hispanic students enrolled in a college or university also increased, rising from 33 percent in 1994 to 36 percent in 1997.

In total, college enrollment for blacks, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Native Americans rose 4 percent between 1996 and 1997, according to the report.

However, even though the rise in national percentages is reflected in the student population at UW, the actual number of students of color at UW does not reflect the student of color population at colleges nationally.

"If you take the national percentages, we don't reflect them at all," Barrows said. "Wisconsin has a very small student of color population."

Recently, controversial legislation in some states, including California and Texas, has led to the repeal of affirmative action in college admissions. Proposed laws in Florida may also lead to the repeal of affirmative action in university admissions in that state.

However, the study was done before impact of these laws could take effect and be studied.

University officials have been seeking "alternatives to affirmative action," said political science professor Daniel Lipson.

"They fear that laws might sweep away affirmative action in the future," he said.

UW officials are attempting to increase minority enrollment at all campuses in the system through a program known as Plan 2008. Recruiting students of color is focused at Madison- and Milwaukee-area high schools and making UW a welcoming environment for students of color has been a key component of this plan.

"The university is heavily emphasizing a shift in attention to recruitment and retention," Lipson said.

In addition, Lipson said, officials are also attempting to create a collaboration with the Milwaukee school districts.

"The university has been involved with Milwaukee to build what they call a pipeline for better relations with the K-12 levels," Lipson said.

However, with recent controversial issues dealing with racism circulating around campus, it may become more difficult to establish UW as a welcoming environment for students of color.

"Whenever issues of racism come up in the media, it tends to have a chilling effect on recruiting," Barrows said.

Although the recent incidents have had many negative impacts on the UW student population, Barrows said, it could also be a learning opportunity for students.

"The question is not are (these incidents) going to happen," Barrows said. "But the question is what can we do about them?"