Report On Racial And Ethnic Diversity Issues At Campus College Locations Presented To Board Of Trustees
January 19, 2001
University Park, Pa. — Nearly half of Penn State's minority student population is at campuses other than University Park, with the highest percentages at Penn State Abington and Penn State Delaware County.

The Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19) heard a report on racial and ethnic diversity at Penn State's campus college locations from W. Terrell Jones, vice provost for educational equity and affiliate professor of counselor education and African and African American studies.

Jones reported that there are distinct demographic challenges and opportunities associated with the diversity profiles at the campus college locations. "Just like the three rules of buying or selling a house, the percentage of minority students at any campus college is a function of location, location, and finally, location," he said.

"Those campuses within a reasonable proximity to large minority communities, such as Penn State Abington with a minority student population of more than 20 percent have been more successful in attracting larger percentages of minority students."

According to fall 2000 enrollment figures, 7,358 minority students are enrolled at Penn State. That figure includes 4,163 at University Park and 3,195 minority students enrolled at other locations.

Sharon Christ, director of student affairs at Penn State York; and Donald Sheffield, assistant to the associate vice president for outreach and cooperative extension and director of the Office of Diversity Outreach Programs at Penn State Beaver also spoke.

"Many campuses are joining together, or with other colleges or community agencies within their geographic area, to address issues of diversity," Christ said. The York Campus SCROUNGE project, in which students rehabilitate old computers for use by non-profit organizations, and their new food bank networking program are examples of such partnerships.

Understanding the critical issues of culture and individual differences is the main component to Penn State Beaver's After School/Parent Education Program, Sheffield told the Board. Through this HUD-funded program, education majors at Penn State may complete their field experience requirement by working with low-income students and parents from the Linmar Terrace public housing complex and the Aliquippa School District - both of which have a high minority population. "For almost 90 percent of the college students, this program affirms their career choice in education," he said. "For a few others, it helps them consider alternative careers."

In addition, the board heard a student panel discussion, led by Gabriel Bryant, president of the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, on the issues facing campus locations and current programs related to enhancing diversity system wide.

Contact: Amy Neil, Department of Public Information, at (814) 865-7517 or e-mail aen4@psu.edu.