One study after another shows American students ranking behind their international counterparts in the STEM fields--science, technology, engineering, and math. Business people such as Bill Gates warn that this alarming situation puts the United States at a serious disadvantage in the high-tech global marketplace of the twenty-first century, and…

A study examined the socialization experiences of 25 majority and 37 minority women doctoral students using 4 indices of social opportunity: recruitment of student by department; participation in apprenticeship and mentoring experiences; perceptions of department as either competitive or cooperative and offering support networks; and experience of…

A study examined the amount of minority student participation in college debate teams and the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) tournaments and minority success rates. Ten forensic tournaments from around the United States were selected and observed, and minorities were identified from tournament populations. Final result sheets and…

The University of South Carolina has been making a concerted effort to become a member of the American Association of Universities, which requires specific institutional accomplishments. Some African-American faculty are leaving the institution, feeling that membership-related issues are overshadowing other institutional aims. Other institutions…

The military is drawing a large share of minority students by offering recruits training, further education, and decent pay. It is less advisable for academia to compete with the military for students than to see military personnel as potential students. (MLW)

The University of Wisconsin, in the third year of a high-profile drive to increase minority enrollments, is having difficulty reaching its goals despite realistic goals and appropriate efforts. Competition for a limited minority population among the state's private and public colleges and universities is intense, and racial tension persists. (MSE)

Scholars who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups are being actively recruited, feeding resentment and concern among White faculty, who feel squeezed out. However, minority professors find that, although the situation has improved for some, the trend does not extend to all minority faculty. (MSE)

The year 2005 saw a number of reports calling for actions to ensure the future economic vitality of the United States, frequently through the improvement of science and mathematics education. This trend will likely continue into 2006 as policymakers at the state and federal levels look for ways to ensure the United States remains economically…

The efforts and problems of Occidental College, a small, selective liberal arts college in Los Angeles, to bridge the gap between the college and the multicultural city by substantially increasing minority enrollment and faculty are discussed. Lack of faculty and administrative support and the declining applicant pool are among the barriers to…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this study considers issues of minority access and persistence in Arizona's universities. Themes abstracted from personal interviews with minority students, faculty, and staff and minority and nonminority…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this report describes a study evaluating the effort by Arizona's universities to recruit and graduate minority students. Current outcomes and recent trends are noted along with the general strengths and…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this contribution offers an annotated bibliography on minority access and persistence. It cites the following: nine books (e.g., "Student Outcome Questionnaires: An Implementation Handbook" by P. Ewell…