Black University of Memphis freshmen are less likely to stay atThe University of Memphis for their sophomore year than their whitecounterparts, according to recently released statistics.
Retention rates for black students decreased significantly,while the rates for whites increased. The rates for black menspecifically decreased 8.1 percent.
The question is "why?".
"My first reaction was surprise," said Rosie Bingham, the newlyappointed vice-president of Student Affairs. "I wondered 'what'sgoing on to make the change happen?'"
Bingham decided to bring the information to light to find outhow to make changes that will reverse the two-year trend.
The decrease in black students' retention rates began after2000, according to statistics compiled by The U of M Office ofInstitutional Research. The 2000 rate increased slightly from 69.7percent in 1999 to 71.4 percent but dropped in 2001 to 66.3percent.
"We need to raise this issue and get the information out there,"Bingham said. "We looked at these statistics and brought theproblems to light so we could begin to look at them and begin towork on the problem."
Black males are 5.6 percent less likely to continue at The U ofM than white males, and black women are 5.8 percent less likely tostay than white females, according to the research.
"I don't know what the answer is," Bingham said. "Maybe it isjust a fluke."
Fluke or not, Bingham and other worried faculty members areworking to discover the cause of the decrease.
A committee that includes both faculty members and students isalready in place to get the information out and to raise questions.The committee plans to gather profiles of students who are nolonger attending The U of M to discover if the problem lies inclasses, certain majors or advising among other things.
Senior Mario Brown said The U of M needs to study the needs ofdifferent races and try to fine-tune programs to meet thoseneeds.
"A lot of the African-American recruitment information onlymentions the fun-aspects, like step-shows," he said.
Brown also said financial aspects are some of the biggestproblems facing the black community.
A totally different aspect came from sophomore English majorRodney Mitchell, who said many black students in The Uof Mcommunity are not always comfortable with the school'sdiversity.
"A lot of African-Americans tend to gravitate towardtraditionally all-black schools," he said. "Sometimes they have ahard time managing with students of different nationalities andraces."
Thomas Nenon, assistant vice-provost of Academic Affairs, saidthe problem would most likely not be quite that easy toidentify.
"Whenever we have tried to get a handle on something like this,it has been hard because of the range of reasons students leave,"he said.
Nenon said until a reason can be pinned down, Universityofficials would use common sense methods to combat the retentionproblem, like making sure each student feels welcome and is awareof academic support and student organizations.
