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21 The Educational Effectiveness of Historically Black Colleges and Universities parity necessitated increasing the number of African-Americans with at least a bachelor’s degree by 160,000. 74 Dr. Richardson pointed out that the trend in recent years has been an ever-widening educational gap between the two groups. 75 A similar comparison made today shows a 17-point difference between the groups because whites exhibit a higher level of degree attainment. 76 Attaining parity now requires approximately 400,000 additional African-Americans with bachelor’s degrees, far more than the necessary number in 1970. 77 Dr. Richardson stated that less selective or open-access campuses such as HBCUs would have to shoulder the enormous task of increasing the numbers of minority students enrolling in and graduating from college if this goal were to be met. 78 He reasoned that: (1) With growing emphasis on selectivity, traditionally white institutions are increasingly recruiting students that scored in the upper ranges of the SAT. 79 Less than 1 percent of blacks as compared to 6 percent of whites score 1400 or higher on the SAT, and less than 5 percent of blacks as compared to 24 percent of whites score 1200 or higher. HBCUs and less selective institutions therefore represent “realistic” options when it comes to enrolling minority students; 80 (2) Selective campuses generally graduate a percentage of African-Americans that is half that of the total population from which they recruit. For example, the Ivy League institutions, all of which are national universities, collectively have a graduating class that is 7 percent African-American; the graduating class of the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles combined, 4 percent; and the graduating class of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 11 percent. These percentages constitute about half the proportion of blacks in the nation, California, and North Carolina, respectively. Thus, the nation cannot look to selective campuses to increase significantly the number and percentage of black and other minority graduates; 81 (3) HBCUs, in contrast, produce a larger number of black graduates than selective institutions. Twenty-four individual HBCUs graduate the same numbers of blacks as the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill combined. Morgan State University alone graduates almost as many black students as all of the Ivy League campuses taken together, and Southern University graduates even more. Howard University and Florida A & M graduate more blacks than the 74 USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, pp. 21–22; Richardson written statement, p. 34 75 Richardson written statement, p. 34. 76 Richardson written statement, p. 32. 77 USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, p. 22; Richardson written statement, p. 32 78 Richardson written statement, pp. 33–34. 79 See note 29. 80 Richardson written statement, p. 33. 81 Richardson written statement, p. 33.
Summary of The Proceedings 22 entire University of California System, the largest public university system in the nation. “HBCUs [therefore] must be an integral part of any strategy for increasing the number of black graduates in the nation.” 82 In light of the reasons he presented, Dr. Richardson was emphatic that allocation of additional resources to HBCUs would have the greatest impact in narrowing the degree attainment gap between minority and majority students. 83 Jamie P. Merisotis Four Areas of HBCU Effectiveness According to Mr. Merisotis, any review of the educational effectiveness of HBCUs should consider four areas. They are: (1) HBCUs as leaders in student engagement; (2) HBCUs as community-based institutions that “promote civic engagement and service learning;” (3) HBCUs as drivers of educational attainment for “low income, first generation, and disabled students;” and (4) HBCUs as examples of success in a national effort to “improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics” (STEM) in education and research. 84 Serving as Leaders in Student Engagement Mr. Merisotis stated that a 2004–2005 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) found “more supportive learning environments for students” on HBCU campuses. 85 For example, compared to African-American students enrolled in “predominantly white institutions,” those attending HBCUs reported more frequent interactions with faculty members. 86 They also 82 Richardson written statement, pp.33–34. 83 USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, p. 22; Richardson written statement, p. 34. 84 USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, p. 24 85 USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, p. 25. Other panelists, for example, Dr. Sullivan also noted this factor. USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, pp. 14, 56–57. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), administered by the Indiana University Center for Post Secondary Research, documents the extent to which institutions are involved in educational practices or activities that result in preferred learning and personal development outcomes. NSSE collects information from students attending colleges and universities nationwide about their participation in institutional programs and activities designed for “learning and personal development.” The findings estimate “how undergraduates spend their time and what they gain from attending college.” NSSE began in 2000 and since then close to 1,000 colleges and universities have participated. Jamie P. Merisotis, president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, written statement to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (hereafter cited as Merisotis written statement), Washington, DC, May 5, 2006, p. 25. 86 USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, p. 26. Other panelists, for example Dr. Kim also noted this factor. USCCR briefing transcript, May 5, 2006, p. 44.
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Commissioner Statements 155 COMMISS
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Commissioner Rebuttals 159 The obje
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