A report presented today to the Student Achievement Council by a team of researchers from Washington State University and the University of Washington underscored changing state demographics to press for enhancements in promoting diversity within the state’s higher education system.
You can find it here.
The report indicated that growth among the 18 to 24-year-old population over the next two decades will be driven exclusively by students of color, with growth being most dramatic among the Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander groups.
However, the report indicates that students of color are more likely to be first generation college students, English language learners, come from resource-starved school districts, or face other hurdles that ultimately produce gaps in higher education degree attainment.
The good news is that degree attainment is improving among students of color and far exceeds national averages even if academic achievement varies between ethnic groups.
“It’s not all bad news,” said Sheila Edwards Lange, UW’s Vice President for Minority Affairs and Diversity. “We outperform the rest of the country.”
Marc Robinson, director of WSU’s Culture and Heritage Houses with the Office of Equity and Diversity, told the council a survey of Washington institutions indicates there is a wide array of diversity programs on campuses supporting college recruitment, student services, community engagement, inclusive workplaces and the like.
“By and large, our institutions are making good strides in these areas but they are also facing challenges,” Robinson said.
Those challenges primarily relate to funding and subsequent staffing shortages that complicate efforts to grow successful programs.
While specific, multi-campus programs such as GEAR UP and the Washington College Bound Scholarship Program were lauded as helping make advancements, too many of the successes in Washington are not systemic and more collaboration is needed, said Michael Tate, WSU’s chief diversity officer.
“We have pockets of excellence. But to be honest with you it’s a moving target. It varies. It’s not a consistent pattern. It’s driven not by policy, but just by people stepping up and saying ‘we can do better.'”