EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Illinois Board of Higher Education’s annual report on underrepresented groups presents information on minority, female, and disabled students and staff in Illinois higher education. It seeks to explain and track recent changes in representation among these groups and highlights statewide and institutional efforts to improve representation. This year’s report is divided into the following three sections: 1) postsecondary enrollment and degree trends, 2) focus topic, and 3) initiatives to improve representation. An appendix of tables presents additional enrollment and degree data, as well as information on the resources budgeted to each public college and university program that serves underrepresented groups.
Postsecondary Enrollment and Degree Trends
The report presents data for all higher education sectors in Illinois. Postsecondary enrollment and degree trends are shown for all sectors and degree levels from one-year certificate to doctoral education. As shown in this report, major findings include:
• Total Black undergraduate and graduate/professional enrollment increased by 2.6 percent during the past year. Between 1990 and 2000, Black enrollment increased by 8.0 percent at the undergraduate level and 54.6 percent at the graduate/professional level.
• Total Hispanic undergraduate and graduate/professional enrollment increased by 6.4 percent during the past year. Between 1990 and 2000, Hispanic enrollment increased by 67.4 percent at the undergraduate and 97.9 percent at the graduate/professional levels.
• Black and Hispanic graduate enrollment increased by 5.1 and 9.3 percent, respectively, over the previous year. This is the largest single year percentage increase since 1994 for each group.
• Total degrees awarded to Black students increased by 4.2 percent during the past year. Increases occurred at all levels, except the associate and doctoral levels. Between 1990 and 2000 total degrees awarded to Black students increased by 38.7 percent.
• Total degrees awarded to Hispanic students increased by 3.7 percent during the past year.
Increases occurred at all levels, except the master’s and doctoral levels. Between 1990 and 2000 total degrees awarded to Hispanic students increased by 72.3 percent.
2002 Focus Topic
Each year the report presents information on topics of special relevance. This year’s topic is underrepresented student perceptions of campus climate. Public colleges and universities surveyed students from underrepresented groups about their perceptions of campus climate in eight key areas: 1) institutional attractiveness, 2) faculty and classroom behavior, 3) student needs and concerns, 4) institutional responsiveness, 5) student racial climate, 6) institutional racial climate, 7) student life, and 8) race relations. The report provides a synopsis of the results. Major findings include:
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