UW diversity needs a boost

While a recent U.S. News and World Report says the UW is ranked fifth among Pac-10 schools in diversity, the UW still has a lot to learn what the meaning of racial diversity actually is.

According to last year's statistics, the UW enrolls about 38 percent minority students, but falls far behind in the number of Latinos, black and American Indian students.

If the UW wants to accurately reflect the Washington State, let's look at the facts.

Of Washington's minority population, about one-third are Asian, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 17.5 percent black, 42 percent are Latino and about 9 percent are American Indian according to a 2000 census.

On the other hand, among the UW's minority student population, 64 percent are Asian, 6 percent are black, 10 percent are Hispanic, and almost 3 percent are American Indian.

There is an immense disparity between the state numbers and the UW's enrollment. Although the UW can't use affirmative action and the idea of quota-filling is ostensibly archaic, it needs to do more to make sure that Washington's underrepresented minority populations feel welcome at the UW.

The world the UW represents for students should be as close to reality as possible.

While the UW has made large improvements in its minority recruitment programs, large discrepancies still exist among application rates and enrollment at largely minority schools.

Voters want every student to have an equal chance at higher education, but it's clear that some populations aren't receiving the same opportunities that others are.