Black enrollment at historically black colleges and universities continues to fall as black enrollment in so-called "black-serving" institutions is on the rise, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Education.
According to the Department of Education, a "black-serving" college or university is one in which 25 to 50 percent of the undergraduate institution is black. Xiaojie Li, who authored the report, noted that the 25-percent threshold was an arbitrary number used to define non-HBCUs where there is a critical mass of black students. Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Va., is an example of a borderline black-serving institution with about 22 percent black enrollment. The Commonwealth is also the home to a number of HBCUs, including Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Virginia State University and Virginia Union University.
From 1984 to 2004, overall black undergraduate enrollment increased nationally by 92.8 percent from just under one million to 1.9 million, according to the report. Of college-going U.S. students in 1984, 1.9 percent were black students attending HBCUs. By 2004, that was down to 1.8 percent. Black student enrollment at non-HBCU black-serving colleges or universities, however, increased. In 1984, slightly more than four percent of college-going students were black students enrolled at a black-serving institution. That number increased to 10.1 percent by 2004.
Some scholars see this shift as a positive step for race relations in higher education.
"The move away from HBCUs to non-minority serving universities like U.Va. is a good thing," said Asst. Politics Prof. Vesla Mae Weaver, who specializes in issues of race and ethnicity. "I think that black students opting to choose a U.Va. over a Hampton reveals something important about the changing nature of race for this generation that's coming through college."
Other experts, however, noted that HBCUs are not entirely on the decline. William Harvey, chief officer for diversity and equity at the University, compared these schools to other niche institutions. He argued that the HBCUs serve black students in much the same way that the University of Notre Dame serves Catholic students and Brigham Young University serves Mormon students. Schools such as these provide black students with a strong sense of security and solidarity, according to Harvey. Incidents of intolerance, he said, have the potential to make non-minority serving schools intimidating for black students.
The University would qualify as an example of a non-minority serving school, with 9.3 percent black enrollment.
During the fall 2005 semester, a number of high-profile racial incidents occurred on Grounds, making news locally and nationally. Some members of the University community alleged that these racially charged incidents resulted in the decreased black student enrollment the University saw the following school year.
"Being the flagship institution, the Washington Post and The New York Times and similar publications are going to take a hold of those things and continue to publicize them," Asst. Dean of Admissions Valerie Gregory said. "A student who is living in New York read something like this about the University and wonders 'Wow. Why would I go there? And is this a place I'm going to feel comfortable?'"
The 2005 drop in black enrollment during a significant period of University minority growth discouraged some University administrators. Yet though the University does not qualify as a "black-serving" institution by the Department of Education's definition, it does not need to set a goal for 25 percent black enrollment, according to Gregory.
"We don't, per se, set goals that say we have to be this to be successful," Gregory said. "If we increase from one year to the next, we call that success because that means more students are having access to this education."
The racial makeup of the University does not mirror the racial makeup of the Commonwealth, whose black population is around 19 percent. While this is not a strike against the University, Harvey said it should be noted as a benchmark for future growth.
"Ten or 15 years ago, going to a place like U.Va. was going to be an isolating experience," Weaver said. "Now, not to say that hostilities don't exist and that racial isolation doesn't exist, but you can come here and comfortably go through your four years here and not be the only black person in every class."
While the University's black enrollment will likely continue to rise, Weaver said the impact of this growth on HBCUs in the Commonwealth is unclear.
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