Institutional Racism

desegregation of schools, continuously they maintained that Brown v. Board of
Education must be followed by schools, colleges, and universities. The manner in which
Brown v. Board of Education was drawn out years after the decision helped instill
racism in education by illustrating the extraordinary lengths some educational
institutions would go to in order to avoid integration.
While unfair treatment remains, other lasting effects have yet to be resolved. The
underlying issue of minority presence of college campuses occurs. In 2008, the National
Center for Education Statistics reported that while enrollment of minorities and students
of color had risen, white enrollment still held the majority on average, accounting for 63
percent of undergraduate college and university students. While this varies based on
the region, state, and elite status, in general the majority of colleges and universities in
the United States are predominantly white. According to the U.S. Department of
Education, there has also been a rise in hate crimes on college campuses; 1250 hate
crimes in 2016, up 25 percent from 2015.
Access to post-secondary education seems to be an issue as well. According to the
U.S. Department of Education, being prepared for college is integral to whether or not a
student is successful. While the government offers college preparation programs for
minority and low-income students, programs such as GEAR UP and Federal TRIO
Programs help prepare students for college to better ensure their success and retention,
the access to these programs is relatively limited. While programs such as Federal
TRIO Programs have grown since conception, there is still work that needs to be done if
more minority students are expected to attend and succeed in a post-secondary
institution. Due to availability of Federal TRIO Programs being subjective based on
where geographically a student may be, the benefits are not completely being felt be the
targeted communities. However, the positive effects of Federal TRIO Programs have
been pretty bolstering—more minorities and low-income individuals are prepared when
going to post-secondary institutions.
Institutionalized racism in higher education has received little national attention, even
though it is a relevant issue affecting many colleges and universities. Despite efforts to
improve the situation on college and university campuses, such as implementing
affirmative action plans, anti-black racism and violence continue to occur. The effects of
this violence extend beyond the incident itself. According to a U.S. study in Baltimore,
racism has a correlation with health complications, such as high systolic blood pressure.
Likewise, a study held from 1997 to 2003 found that racism led to higher rates of breast
cancer. While this extends beyond education, it could illustrate why many minorities and
students of color would feel uneasy putting themselves into an environment that could
potentially garner more racism. While illustrations of institutional racism on college
campuses can be found in newspapers and blogs, there are other places to learn more
about these incidents. Aside from the media, one source that can be used to keep up to
date on institutional racism in higher education is The Journal of Blacks in Higher
Education (JBHE). This journal aims to provide as much information as possible about
anti-black institutional racism. JBHE publishes resources, statistics, and current reports
of race-related actions on college and university campuses. For example, JBHE
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