UW slumps in diversity rankings

The UW ranks fifth among Pac-10 schools in terms of campus diversity, according to a report issued by U.S. News.

The national reports detailing the best colleges for 2006 showed Stanford University was the most diverse in the Pac-10, followed by UCLA and UC-Berkeley. The data used to determine the rankings examines each school's 2004-05 student body.

In addition, according to research conducted by Washington State University's Office of Institutional Research, the UW dropped to fifth from second in the Pac-10 two years ago when it had a minority student population of 22.72 percent.

Stephanie Miller, the UW's director of student outreach, community relations and minority affairs, said it's inaccurate to compare Pac-10 universities because of the difference in each state's demographics. Nevertheless, in terms of minority programs and provisions offered at Pac-10 schools, Miller said the UW is very well placed.

"We rate up there with other Pac-10 schools," she said. "We would be in the top two. California has really good programs and whatever happens in California, then Washington will close [in on it] simultaneously."

Student scholarships are the only factor Miller said she thinks need to be addressed to a greater extent.

"The only thing that I wish I could do was to be able to do is to find a way to have more scholarship opportunities for students," Miller said. "It takes fundraising, it takes donor participation and it takes cultivation."

Miranda Bethay, ASUW's director for diversity efforts, said the fact that the UW has many programs other universities don't makes it a model for other institutions to follow.

"We were one of the first schools to have an office of minority affairs, and we're probably the only school to have an instructional center," she said.

Besides availability of scholarships and grants, campus climate is a major issue, Bethay said.

"If you're African-American, it may be more appealing to go to a historically black college because you know you're not going to be one person just singled out in the classroom simply because you stand out based on your skin color," she said. "I've heard from a lot of students that they feel uncomfortable approaching professors who often can be condescending."

Being sensitive to students of sexual minorities is equally important, Bethay added. GBLT students often complain that professors use the nuclear family model in class exclusively and ignore different forms of partnership, she said.

"UW has come a long way, but we have a long way to go yet," she said.

Michael Tate, WSU's vice president for equity and diversity, said the percentage of multicultural students among the total student body at WSU hit an all-time high this fall.

"On the recruitment side, the admissions office has an outreach specialist for each of the primary ethnic categories," Tate said.

Endeavors to maintain diversity at WSU include an Academic Enrichment Center that provides peer mentoring, free tutoring and a student leadership development component.

It's essential to have a diverse student population in a university because "it is at the core of academic excellence," Tate said. "Corporate executives are telling us they expect our college graduates to have experience interacting with the diverse populations as it contributes to the success of their companies. University campuses are the perfect places for students to meet people from different states or countries and learn about other cultures."

From an economic point of view, if more and more people are educated, society is healthier, Tate said. By this logic, low-income families should have access to higher education in order to become contributing members to the society.

"So many students of color who live in impoverished conditions have dreams and real potential to become our future doctors, pilots and engineers," he said. "We need to provide these students the opportunity to reach their potential."

According to the 2003 statistics, University of Arizona (UA) ranked third among Pac-10 schools with a minority student population of 23.28 percent.

Natalia Urtubey, minority action council director for the Associated Students of University of Arizona, said diversity gives a uniqueness that offers the student body a sense of wisdom that can only be attained by exposure to different cultures.

"Without diversity, the cookie-cutter atmosphere would come to a standstill because of the lack of new ideas and the repetitiveness of those ideas," she said.