Racial Diversity in Higher Education

Many colleges and universities purport to desire racial diversity, yet few make considerable progress in this regard. Why are some schools much more successful than others? This author compared colleges/universities that have achieved relatively high percentages of African American and Latino American students and faculty to those with low percentages. Semistructured interviews were used to gather information about each school. At the successful schools, more people participate in diversity efforts, and administrators more often have the time, mandate, and power to be effective. The successful schools employ a wider variety of affirmative action practices, and these practices are more often proactive, involve persons of color, include curriculum and co-curriculum intervention, and address root causes of the problem. Employees and activists from the successful schools possess greater commitment to, and knowledge about, diversity. Finally, the campus climate at the successful schools offers greater support for racial diversity.