A special commission examining ways to boost diversity at University of Colorado campuses struggled Saturday to reach a consensus on specific steps for improving minority representation at CU-Denver.
But the 48-member panel settled on several broadly outlined recommendations, such as creating a diversity program to recruit and retain students and faculty “of color, sexual orientation and ability status.”
It also is advising the administration to enhance outreach and mentoring programs to entice minority students in Colorado high schools and community colleges to apply to CU.
Earlier in the day, several students on the panel said programs should be a high priority for the campus, where minorities make up less than a quarter of the student body. “There wasn’t any outreach to get me here,” said student Kaati Ross. “As a minority student, I would have appreciated mentoring.”
By several measures, the Denver doctoral campus’ minority problems aren’t as severe as those at the Boulder campus, where African-American representation is 1 percent of the student population (the lowest among Big 12 Conference schools) and where racial tensions have flared in recent years. In response to what CU president Hank Brown has called a “breakdown in the system,” he created the blue-ribbon commission to examine minority issues at all CU campuses.
The commission made 10 recommendations for improving the Boulder campus’ minority environment, such as altering admission standards and requiring diversity training for administration, faculty, staff and students.
One survey released Saturday by CU-Denver administrators indicates the racial climate at their campus is sound. Large student majorities (92 percent of undergraduates and 87 percent of graduate students) consider their campus atmosphere “culturally sensitive,” according to the survey.
But improvement is still needed, Brown and Provost Mark Heckler stressed during a day-long meeting of the commission at the university.
Though the population at CU-Denver ranks as the most diverse doctoral university in Colorado, it lags behind its companion schools on the Auraria campus, Metropolitan State College and the Community College of Denver. Among the challenges, Heckler acknowledged, are improving graduation rates for minority students. Fewer than 32 percent of freshmen who are black or Hispanic graduate within six years, compared with about 50 percent of white students.
The addition of student housing – 1,000 beds – next fall could improve retention, he said. The university needs to find other ways to better address the needs of a unique student profile: Almost half the CU-Denver students are part-time workers. Many also have children.
Ultimately, chancellors across the state will use the recommendations as the basis for an action plan, Brown said.
“We’re going to make progress,” he added.
