Race relations have progressed over the years to create and sustain a world that boasts equality and human rights. However, despite the progress, most say the nation has a long way to go.
A similar situation exists on a smaller scale within the University of Wisconsin System and, more specifically, at its flagship campus in Madison.
Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam said UW has moved forward in race relations — but more could be done.
"I think we're up from where we've been in terms of numbers," Berquam said. "While we still need to improve there, that's not all. I think it's great that we're getting those students to come here, but we have to focus on retaining them."
In 1999, the University of Wisconsin System created Plan 2008 to address and promote diversity and make improvements to the campus climate.
While Plan 2008 is a system-wide effort, Bernice Durand, UW-Madison vice provost for diversity and climate, said the plan has been pushed especially hard on the Madison campus.
According to Durand, UW has been attempting to deal with campus diversity in an organized fashion since the 1960s.
Still, as 2008 draws near and UW begins to take measured steps toward improving the recruitment and retention of minority students, the question arises if there is a need for another diversity program like Plan 2008.
Why the need?
It is not a stretch to say that minority students are underrepresented at UW-Madison.
According to the UW-Madison enrollment report for fall 2006, the four specific minority groups targeted by Plan 2008 make up less than 9 percent of the student population — 3 percent of the UW-Madison students are black, less than 2 percent are Southeast Asian-American, 3 percent are Hispanic and less than 1 percent are Native American.
Each targeted minority group, according to Wisconsin Census statistics, is underrepresented at UW-Madison compared to the statewide population.
The ratios need to improve, Durand said, because while white people make up the majority of the population at both UW-Madison and in the state of Wisconsin now, this would not always be the case.
"In some states, whites no longer make up more than 50 percent of the population," Durand said. "In the years to come, the trend will continue across the nation."
Durand said that although Wisconsin is one of the whitest states in the country, the same thing would eventually happen in Wisconsin as well.
"We would like a student population here that somewhat reflects the world," Durand said. "Making the university atmosphere as similar to the world outside is the best way to prepare our students to live."
According to statistical projections, Durand said whites would no longer be the majority in the state by 2050. However, she said the number of admitted minorities would not increase at the same rate as the state's minority population.
"The only way to increase the pool of minority students available to be accepted into the university is to intervene and reach students pre-college so they can be accepted," Durand said.
Durand referred to this as a "pipeline" goal for Plan 2008 — by increasing financial aid available to minority students, accessibility would be increased as well.
However, retaining students is only part of the story, Berquam said.
"I hate to define Plan 2008 entirely as a pipeline, because that's only a part of it," Berquam said. "We have to continue to focus on retention and make sure that the minority students who come here feel comfortable and want to stay."
Improving the campus climate and making minority students feel comfortable is an ongoing battle, but progress in that arena is difficult to measure.
Where is UW?
Examining the numbers is the best way to get a sense of UW's progress when it comes to attracting and retaining minority students Durand said, and the upward progress of certain numbers is encouraging.
Since Plan 2008's inception in 1999, the enrollment for targeted ethnic minorities has increased by more than 200.
According to the Plan 2008 annual report, each targeted minority has seen an increase in the number of students enrolled at UW-Madison.
In terms of retention and graduation, which Berquam called just as important as enrollment, progress has also been made since 1999.
The percentage of retention and graduation of all students has stayed level — the overall student retention rate after one year has hovered around 93 percent, 88 percent after two years, and 83 after three years, with 80 percent of all students ultimately graduating.
While the numbers for minorities are not quite at the same level, statistics have improved since 1999. Retention rates have increased from 83 to 89 percent after the first year, 68 to 82 percent after two years and 66 to 76 after three years.
Graduation rates, though, are measured after six years, and Durand said the university would not be sure of the level of progress until 2008.
"These numbers are encouraging, and it looks like we're closing the gap when it comes to retention," Durand said. "But there's still so much more we can do."
What of years to come?
Plan 2008, by name, will come to pass. However, an organized effort to address diversity on campus is likely to continue beyond 2008, Durand said.
"I think the basic goals of the plan are good," she said. "When you talk about recruiting and retaining students, I think those have to be some of the main goals. In the future we may need to broaden our definitions when it comes to targeted minorities."
Berquam said the key for the years to come is keeping in touch with minority students on campus.
"We need to make sure we have a good sense of what's happening both in and out of the classroom for our minority students," Berquam said. "We need to make sure our students are able to find a social network that makes them comfortable."
Durand said improving diversity is an ongoing discussion and a constant goal for UW-Madison.
"When we put the plan in place, we knew it would be unrealistic to expect it to have finished anything," Durand said. "We've established programs here now, but sustaining them in the future to continue our progress is going to be crucial."
