By Ann McBride
Arizona Daily Wildcat
UA fall enrollment figures show minority enrollment to be at an all-time high.
African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics make up 21.85 percent or 7,598 of the 34,777 students enrolled at the UA, said Richard Kroc, director of student research.
In 1994 minorities accounted for 20.77 percent or 7,334 of the 35,306 students enrolled.
In sharp contrast, 1983 minority enrollment accounted for 9.59 percent or 2,922 students out of an enrollment of 30,460.
Enrollment increased for each minority group over 1994.
African American enrollment increased from 781 students to 827. Asian American enrollment increased from 1,690 to 1,754 and Hispanic enrollment went from 4,217 to 4,342. Native Americans, the least represented at the UA, increased from 646 students to 675.
Kroc said the increase in minority enrollment is a real "success story."
"We're not done yet," Kroc said, stating that minority retention and graduation rates remain far behind those of Caucasians.
First-year law student Travis P. Nabahe said that numbers can be deceiving, especially for the Native American population in which people can claim 1/16 or 1/32 Indian blood. Nabahe also said that the Native American tradition of learning is an oral rather than written tradition. He said that often students have not adopted this learning style by high school, but it may come later.
"It may not be a true assessment of their ability ... other factors should be considered," he said.
The fall figures also showed that for the first time, more women than men attend the UA. Women make up 50.7 percent of the UA's enrollment, up from 49.7 in 1994.
This is the first time women