The student population at the majority of HBCUs remains predominantly black, yet the racial diversity of such institutions have undergone tremendous changes over the years. Due to a decline in student enrollment, HBCUs have opened their doors to a more racially diverse student body. For example, the University of Texas at Arlington had a slight decline in percentage of black students enrolled and an incline in percentage of Hispanic students enrolled from 2010 to 2013. The incline provided a significant boost to the college that has grown to just under 300 students and was on the brink of collapse a few years prior (Mangan, 2015). Another example of racial diversification in HBCUs is seen in the case of Delaware University where its African American …show more content…
The diversification of HBCUs makes the environment more similar to the type of environment that would be encountered after graduation, but it can also take away from the culture and history of HBCUs. A black student attending the University of Texas, Porscha Jewell, states that as an HBCU, her school should not feel bad about emphasizing their unique culture and identity. She states, "When we're trying to appeal to so many different people, it pulls us away from the 'historically black' part" (as quoted in Mangan, 2015). When an HBCUs campus becomes more diverse, it calls for new programs, classes and student life activities to accommodate the new races and groups of people on campus. These changes may cause a need to cut back on the programs, classes and activities made exclusively to compliment the black culture and black history. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and chief executive of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, states that he has "heard some of the vitriol from alumni and students who come in and look around and say, 'I came to an HBCU, and
“College campuses are not dominated by widespread racial/ethnic segregation and the racial/ethnic clustering that does occur isn’t impeding intergroup contact.” (578, Hoeffner and Hoeffner). Throughout the essay, the writer continues to provide facts and sources on the information that diversity is not a problem on college campuses. She quotes evidence that states that college students are getting a “variety of positive educational outcomes that result from being educated in a diverse environment.” (578, Hoeffner and Hoeffner).
...d I attended Northern Illinois University in Illinois, a predominantly white institution. She attended Central because she believed like many black students, that attending a HBCU would promote unity, self confidence, and that her educational experience would be geared towards her as an African American. Although the school like many HBCUs lack funding to give her any grants or scholarships she determined to finance her education acquired loans. I however, chose differently. While I sometimes feel that I am missing out on the cultural experience of a lifetime, I received an enormous financial aid package from Northern Illinois University. In August of 2003 my friend transferred to Northern because she could not afford Central for a second year. Although a student's environment is very important in the end a student's success is dependent solely upon that student.
The learning environment of HBCUs is important to African-American education because it provides a positive and welcoming environment that is focused on the students’ success. At most PWIs African-American students are focused on fitting in with the whites and being ...
... of Michigan Sees 23% Decline in Minority Applicants.” Black Issues in Higher Education. Reston: 11 Mar 2004. Vol. 21, Iss. 2, p. 10. {scholarly primary, print via internet, reputable}
Good Morning Miss. Mendez, it was a pleasure listening to you and your group members share the research that you all completed on Historically Black Colleges and Universites: Relevancy in Post-Civil Rights Era America. It was very mind blowing to hear the results that you all found . It was interesting to have learned that Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) graduate more black students overall and the black males that graduate from Historical Black College and Universities (HBCUs) are more likely to further their education due to the supportive and nurturing environment of their HBCU. The lack of support that blacks have at PWIs play a major role in their academics and it is noticeable . If you look at several different PWIs majority
These observations are important because they helped me realize the two main elements of black students’ lives that make their experience remarkably different than that of their white peers. Black students face additional social stress and the threat of living up to stereotypes about their race. These extra hardships can make their college experience even more burdensome which, in turn, affects their academic success. As I continued to read about the seemingly endless amount of hardships black students face in colleges and universities I became discouraged at finding an adequate solution that would allow them to strive in the same manner as their white peers. I could not have agreed more with the resolve to hold universities accountable for creating an environment that is conducive to the success of black students, cultivates inclusion, and works to destroy the negative stereotypes or doubts about the aptitude of every black
As I was working on the daily crossword a few months ago, I came across the clue "Egyptian beetle." I pondered over this clue for a few seconds, staring at the small black and white boxes on my computer screen and thinking back to all of the Egyptian documentaries and The Mummy movies I watched as a child, and yet I could not think of any six letter word to satisfy this clue, but fortunately, I knew who could. I quickly instant messaged my Egyptian friend and asked him if he knew the answer. I excitedly shifted back to the crossword puzzle and typed in his answer, "scarab," and sure enough, his answer was correct. Contented with my acheivement of a correct answer, I continued the crossword only to be baffled by another clue, "Jewish holiday." I immediately thought of Hanukkah and Rosh Hashanah, however, there was no way "Hanukkah" or "Rosh Hashanah" would fit into the small white boxes allotted for the answer. With the success of my prior artifice, I decided to ask my Jewish friend for help, who also succeeded in providing me with the correct answer, "Purim".
2004). As the United States become a more racially and ethnically diverse nation. Schools are becoming more diverse, and students need to learn how to interact in a diverse environment. Discussion between the different perspectives of minority and the majority opinions can enhance integrative complexity among the majority opinion (Antonio et al. 2004). Students having experiences with people of different racial/ethnic background are very important it enhances their experience on campus. Students who attend schools with a diverse population can develop an understanding of different perspectives in a multi-ethnic and multiracial environment. Racial and ethnic diversity can create a rich social environment which can be used as educational tools for students’ learning and development (Antonio et al. 2004; Milem et al. 2005). Students who attend college with other races and ethnicity increase the likelihood of socializing with people of another race and more likely have a conversation about racial matters (Chang
Growing up in Florida, the prevalence of a diverse society has always been evident to me. While realizing at a young age how many differences exist in my hometown of Orlando, I eagerly wanted to become a part of each segment of my world. From a young age, my parents could tell that I had an interest in the international cultures in my life.
2004; Harper, Carini, Bridges, & Hayek 2004). Because these institutions emphasize philosophies that resemble the values in the black community, the increased number of black faculty and administration which cater to the academic needs of the black student population, and the large black student representation on campus, many African American students tend to succeed on historically black institutions compared to mainstream institutions (Allen 1987; Chavous et al. 2004). Another factor illustrates that students of color become better acclimated and assimilated to the campus environment when they become involved with African American student organizations (Guiffrida 2003; Harper, Carini, Bridges, & Hayek 2004; Harper 2008; Walter & Hutcheson 1998). African American student organizations, including Greek organizations, serve as agents for social integration of students of color. Researchers have examined how African American student organizations help black students become socially and academically integrated at PWIs (Guiffrida 2003; Walter & Hutcheson 1998). Involvement on campus illustrates a deepened connection to the campus environment which counteracts feelings of social isolation and alienation on campus (Chavous et al. 2004; Guiffrida 2003; Harper 2008). It is unclear how African
As a minority and a first-generation college student, Brewer struggled at the University of Texas at Austin. Tough argues, many good students that come from a minority community “…get to a good college and encounter what should be minor obstacle, and they freak out. They don’t want to ask for help, or they don’t know how” (Pg.Tough 2). The lLack of confidence to reach out to the resources available at particular campuses forces marginal students out of college or even causing a delay in their graduation.
But yet, GPAs of African American students are higher at HBCUs than PWIs. African American students would rather go to HBCUs because they know they will be accepted, and their abilities as students will never be questioned based on the color of their skin or background. Students at HBCUs are more capable of themselves and not have someone to approve it. HBCUs are well-known for being proactive to African American needs due to their efforts to provide environments that give students a sense of community, belonging, and encouragement. African American students may not approach white faculty and students for help not only because they do not feel they know how, or because they do not know how they will be viewed or reacted to. The loving environment of an HBCU will allow Black students to make great connections much easier than at a
One might succinctly shows how oblivious the white students are on the issues of racism, lack of diversity, social and political. The underrepresented students are very conscious of the negative effect of segregation, discrimination, and racial tension, social and political inequality. While the underrepresented students tend to feel perplexed on these issues, the underrepresented faculty members on the other hand tend to feel incapacitated and not courageous to address these issues due to the fear of losing their job. To the contrary, some faculty members with tenure position were able to address these issues, provide a logical solution, and implore the institution to implement diversity in their curriculum. According to Karkouti, (2016) diversity has the power to create a friendly social environment that can allay the fear of racial tensions among students and can be used as an educational tool to enhance students’ learning and development. Lundy (2015) argues that in order to foster intercultural relationship on HBCUs and PWIs campus there should be desegregation not segregation. This means the PWIs student enrolment should include more African Americans and other non-Whites. In contrast, the HBCUs desegregation should increase the number of White students’ enrolment, despite the fact that HBCUs never had or display discriminatory admissions policies. In order to address some of the diversity issues in the U.S. higher education system, there is a need for assertive leaders who can logically create a serene cultural environment for students, faculty members and staff. He has to be versatile with the issues of diversity and must be able to implement effective strategies that will suit the students, faculty member and staff (Brown, 2017-class note). In doing so,
Diversity is a key concern for colleges as bastions of higher education, which is why allegations of racial discrimination are taken very seriously. In 2014, a federal lawsuit was brought against Harvard by a disgruntled committee of students claiming Asian Americans were held to a higher standard of admission than students of other races. According to a 2009 Princeton Study, the average Asian student must score up to one hundred forty points higher than their white counterparts on the SAT in order to be equally considered for top private colleges. The troubling truth of racial “balancing” is that it disregards individual merit in favor of maintaining a uniform, “varied” demographic. In addition, if the lawsuit is viable, Ivy League universities like Harvard and Stanford may be guilty of racial profiling
Amidst the excitement of Admitted Students Day, there is always one word repeated by student representatives, faculty, and administration: diversity. Brandeis, as a university, recognizes diversity in academia as a linchpin for intellectual growth and stimulation, but that recognition does not always translate into a climate that is safe for students of color. There exists an unwillingness to challenge the prevalence of subtle racism on campus.