UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank detailed data about enrollment, retention and educational outcomes for students of color on campus in a Friday blog post, saying although there is still work to be done, the university has improved its efforts in these areas.
During the last decade, Blank reported a 32 percent increase in targeted minorities, which include students with African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino(a) and Southeast Asian backgrounds. In fall 2015, the university enrolled 1,200 more minority undergraduates than it did 10 years ago, according to the post.
Blank also addressed criticism of the UW System Board of Regents' recent decision to waive the nonresident enrollment cap. Although some said the action would undermine efforts to enroll a racially diverse student population, Blank said in the post that over the last decade, the highest growth in minority undergraduates has come from states other than Wisconsin and that waiving this cap would help diversity efforts.
Additionally, Blank said she was “particularly proud” of retention and graduation rates for minority students, which both increased over 10 percent from 2000.
Several on-campus initiatives will work to enroll more students of color, Blank said in the post, including the expansion of PEOPLE, a pre-college program directed toward students from diverse backgrounds. Blank also said UW-Madison experts are researching strategies to help minority high school students graduate at the same rate as other students.
Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate Patrick Sims spoke on similar initiatives to improve campus diversity at the Faculty of Color Reception Thursday.
Sims said his office is currently working on a survey that will assess racial climate campuswide, as well as the Diversity Inventory Program, which will identify every initiative aimed toward diversity. Next year, Sims said emphasis will be placed on retaining faculty of color and coordinating better communication surrounding diversity and inclusion.
Blank acknowledged that Wisconsin is a less diverse state than places like California or Texas.
“Because of our demographics, we have to work harder at this,” she said in the post. “I appreciate the commitment of this community on these issues and look forward to working with students, staff and faculty to make progress.”
