How Universities Successfully Retain and Graduate Black Students

Abstract

SINCE THE PUSH to bring racial diversity to high? er education began in the 1960s, universities have competed to enroll the most talented AfricanAmerican studen s. efforts have been highly successful; black enrollment has increased dramatically. But once black students matriculate at a particular institution, they are often forgotten and left to fend for themselves. As a result, black students are still dropping out like flies, said Dr. Clinita Ford, director of the National Conference on Retention. At the present time, only 32 percent of black stu? dents are graduating from large American universities against 56 percent of white students.* Much of the problem can be attributed to educational preparation, social background, and an atmosphere of racism and discrimination, said Syracuse University Pro? fessor Vincent Tinto, author of a definitive study on reten? tion issues. You're asking colleges to make up for years of disadvantage. Universities are coming up short on their end with a shortfall of financial aid, fiscal counseling, inad? equate mentoring, lack of cultural and social support, a dependence on Eurocentric curricula, faculty indifference, racial hostility, and an absence of institutional commitment to pursue black student retention efforts. As a result of the persistent problems of high black student dropout rates, many colleges and universities have launched programs in recent years to improve retention rates for minority students. But many observers believe that the pro? grams by themselves have had little impact in improving retention rates for African Americans. The programs haven't yet tackled the issue of climate, said Professor Tinto. They have not examined the experience of students in classrooms and dorms.