Racial/ethnic minority and women students in higher education: A status report (original) (raw)

Board # 157 : Demographic Shift and its Potential Effect on Higher Education

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

With the aging of Baby Boombers, which represent 76 million people in United States or 1/4 of the overall population in this country, it creates wide-ranging implications for virtually every facet of American society. On par with the aging baby boomers is the growing population of minorities. Today in many places including the densely populated states of California and Texas, non-Hispanic whites have become the minority, and the bulk of minority students including Hispanics are further concentrated in the younger grades. Many minority families do not have access to information about the educational system in a way that helps support their children to be successful in the U.S. school system. The gap is further widen among financially disadvantaged students. Today, completing a higher education not only means the enhancement of social status, but also means a better financial capability in the computerized society. When an economic underclass becomes the majority, the class division between the embarrassingly wealthy and the unacceptably poor not only will cause alienation, resentment, and social unrest, but also will affect the sustainability of prosperity. Considering the rapid minority population growth and minority-majority flip tendency, the significance of young minorities for the growth and vitality of our economy needs to be particularly recognized. Soaring Minority Population With the gradual retirement of Baby Boombers, which represent 76 million people in United States or 1/4 of the overall population in this country, it creates wide-ranging implications for virtually every facet of American society (Pollard, 2014). On par with the aging baby boomers is the growing population of minorities. In the past decade, Hispanics grew by 15 million people, or 43%. The African-American and Asian-American populations each increased by more than 4 million, with growth rates of 12% and 43%, respectively. Non-Hispanic whites made up 75% of the population in 1990, its proportion dropped to about 70% in 2000, and further down to 63% in 2012. If the changing trend continues as of the past two decades, non-Hispanic whites will be outnumbered by minorities in 2035. Today in many places including the densely populated states of California and Texas, non-Hispanic whites have become the minority (ESRI, 2012). As shown in Fig. 1, the momentous demographic shift of United States will continue to have a dramatic effect on business, lifestyle, and culture. For the children under age 18 nationwide, this minorityto-majority flip will happen soon. In Texas, the 2014 high school graduation seniors is the last crop without a majority of Hispanic students, they are also the last crop without a majority of students from financial disadvantageous background (Smith, 2013). And the bulk of minority students including Hispanics are further concentrated in the younger grades.

Hispanics and Higher Education: An Overview of Research, Theory, and Practice

Higher education, 2009

According to the 2000 census, there are currently 35.3 million Hispanics living in the United States, a near 60% increase from just 10 years earlier (Pew Hispanic Center, 2005). The largest subgroup of Hispanics is of Mexican origin (66%), followed by groups from Central or South America (15%), Puerto Rico (9%), Cuba (4%), and other Hispanic countries (6%) (US Department of Commerce, 2001). While immigration has been the major contributor to this increase in the past 4 decades (National Research Council, 2006), it is believed that future increases in the Hispanic population will be driven primarily by high birth rates of second-and third-generation citizens (Pew Hispanic Center, 2005). A substantial Hispanic population will result, as it is projected that in the next 50 years this group will account for 51% of the population growth, making one fourth of the total US population by 2050 of Hispanic origin (Llagas & Snyder, 2003). Latinos lag behind other groups educationally (Fry, 2004). In 2000, only 10% of Hispanics aged 25-29 had earned a bachelor's degree or higher compared to 34% of Whites and 18% of African-Americans (Llagas & Snyder, 2003). This variation in postsecondary educational attainment has caused substantial labor market inequalities with this population. In contrast to African-Americans who continue to suffer from discrimination that contributes to disparities in earnings, Hispanics are presently paid comparably to Whites given the same amount of education (National Research Council, 2006). Regardless, the low levels of formal schooling earned have contributed to the overrepresentation of the Latino population in low-skill occupations that pay less, and have higher unemployment rates than other groups (6.8% for Hispanics compared to 4.3% for Whites). Currently, Hispanic households own less than 10 cents for every dollar in wealth owned by White households (Pew Hispanic Center, 2005). Unless college graduation rates of Hispanic students show significant increases, the unemployment and poverty rates for this group are sure to rise. In Texas, for example, it is projected that by 2030 the average household will be US$4,000 poorer than in 1990 (in constant dollars), increasing the poverty rate nearly 3% (President's Advisory Commission, 2002).

The Hispanic Population and Hispanic Serving Institutions

2017

Hispanic Serving Institutions are designated by the United States Department of Education with the purpose of increasing the educational attainment of the Hispanic population. Designation is determined by the percent of the population of full-time undergraduate students at the institution of higher learning. While this federal policy has positively impacted the percent of Hispanic high school graduates enrolling in undergraduate programs at 2-and 4-year colleges across the country, the Hispanic population continues to complete the 4-year degree at the lowest rate of any ethnic minority in the U.S. This paper explores the changing demographics of the U.S., the impact of educational attainment on Hispanics, and the Hispanic Serving Institution designation. Amendments to the current policy and institutional action items are proposed for improving graduation rates for Hispanic students.

Helping Hispanic Students to Complete High School and Enter College. ERIC/CUE Digest Number 20

1984

Demographically, mainland Hispanic Americans constitute a population that is eco ically and educationally diverse. Nonetheless, a cluster of related findings indicates that Hispanic students are more poorly prepared for college than non-Hispanic White students. More Hispanic high school seniors than White non-hispanics are enrolled in vocational or general programs than academic programs, and fewer take the standardized college admissions tests. Lack of interest in the courses offered by high schools, alienation, poor teaching, and differences in family life are among the reasons for the lesser tendency of Hispanic students to be adequately prepared for or interested in applying to college. Studies suggest that teachers' cultural stereotypes act negatively on their expectations for Hispanic students, and that language, UAL CIA ET OF EDUCATION NATIO"41. wisuruira OF EDUCATION EOUGA I 10.AL RESOURCES INTURNIATION CENTER (ERIC! 1 That Mamma ha been mixednced as Pecansed team tear pima Of giowectition otonahng Pinot chows two boon mode to outwore toorodoction wady r..

Increasing Latina/o College Completion: Mistakes and Opportunities

In this essay, the authors accomplish three tasks: (a) identify common limitations of programs designed to increase the success rates of Latina/o college students; (b) describe the common characteristics of programs that exhibit effective practice; and (c) provide a framework to guide colleges and universities in designing effective program components that address the common factors impeding Latina/o student success in college.

Latinas: The new Latino majority in college

New Directions for Student …, 2004

The numbers of Latinas who attend college, stay in college, graduate, and attend graduate school escalated in the 1990s, surpassing gains made by any other underrepresented group of students in higher education. However, their achievements come at a personal cost, as the high-achieving Latinas profiled in this chapter demonstrate.

The Gender Distribution of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduates

2006

This study examines the gender distribution of African American, Chicana/o and American Indian undergraduates at UC Berkeley during the time period spanning 1995-2005, paying attention to enrollment trends both pre- and post-Proposition 209. Whereas the effects of the elimination of affirmative action on the racial composition of the University of California’s student enrollment have been widely discussed both in the academic literature and in the media, this paper contributes to existing knowledge by exploring possible effects of Proposition 209 on enrollment by race by gender. Analyses of enrollment data spanning 1995-2005 reflect not only a decreasing number of minority students, but also a gender gap placing females in the majority and males in the minority in each of the examined student populations, a gap that has become more severe for African Americans and Chicanos in the years following the implementation of Proposition 209 in 1998. In particular, the gender gap in the Afri...