Black and Hispanic students are graduating college at a significantly lower rate than their white and Asian peers, according to a report published by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center on Wednesday.
The report found that for students starting a four-year degree program, 71 percent of Asian students and 67 percent of white students finish within six years, as compared to 45 percent of black students and 55 percent of Hispanic students who were able to do the same thing.
Boston University sociology professor Julian Go said these statistics can be attributed to both the lack of representation of minorities in higher education and forms of racism on college campuses.
“There is a lack of connection to the university and a lack of support that makes it easier for [minority] students to drop out,” Go said. “Some minority students might actually experience racism [on campus] — explicit and direct or more subtle and indirect — that might contribute to them not wanting to continue.”
In order to solve this problem, Go recommended universities like BU to make an effort to diversify its faculty and student demographics.
“BU could contribute to diversity in the actual content of what we learn in terms of having a wider variety of cultural perspectives,” Go said.
Kevin Smith, the founder of BU Minority Connection Initiative, wrote in an email that he thinks the current K-12 school system contributes to the disparity in these rates.
“I have never been a huge fan of our K-12 system because many times students are taught to regurgitate information, rather than use the knowledge they have occurred over time to form opinions,” the College of Engineering senior wrote. “When there is only one right answer in classes for 18 years of our life, we do not develop the critical skills needed.”
Smith also wrote that he noticed several students of color he knows did not return to campus after their freshman year. He attributed this to the lack of resources available to them.
“After doing some investigation, I realized it was because they did not know what success looks on a collegiate level, nor did they have anyone to show them what it looks like,” Smith wrote.
He emphasized the need for campus organizations like the MCI to help students of color graduate and succeed academically and professionally.
“Composed of students with the support and guidance from faculty and staff, MCI is able to build engaging and lasting relationships between minority students, faculty and staff to provide support and unity within the BU community,” Smith wrote.
Several students said they have noticed their communities face racial challenges on campus.
Natalie Martinez, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she takes pride in her ethnicity and feels frustrated that Hispanic students are at a statistical disadvantage.
“It infuriates me that my ethnicity and culture, something so beautiful and such a big part of who I am, could be a disadvantage in the institution I am now a part of,” Martinez said.
Chloe Brown, a freshman in CAS, said that although she identifies as Latinx, people do not often recognize her as one. She said this allows her to avoid stigmas that others of her ethnicity cannot.
“I don’t feel like I have to battle to find my place within a school community,” Brown said. “Finding a sense of belonging in college is hard enough without the constant feeling that everyone else didn’t expect you to make it here, let alone expect you to succeed.”
Olivia Etienne, a sophomore in CAS, said she has hope for the future of minority graduates.
“I think that students themselves are working just as hard to overcome these social and economic factors that are leading to these discrepancies,” Etienne said. “I’ve seen many more black and Hispanic success stories circling and inspiring other people of color to reach for the same goal.”
Noor Adatia contributed to the reporting of this article.
