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By DeAnna Hines
The percentages of minority faculty and students and female faculty on the Indiana University Bloomington campus have increased during nine of the last 10 years.
"In each of the last 10 years, both the actual number and the percentage of minority and female faculty have increased. In fact, the numbers of minority and female faculty and Hispanic, Native American and Asian-American undergraduates have hit all-time highs in the last two years," said Kenneth Gros Louis, vice president for academic affairs and chancellor of the Bloomington campus.
"Although these overall trends are positive, we remain very concerned about the three-year decrease in the percentage of African-American undergraduates on campus. We will continue our efforts to reverse this decline, but we must do a better job."
The statistics were compiled by the offices of the registrar and dean of the faculties after several student organizations on campus expressed concern that the numbers of minority faculty and students, and female faculty, might be falling.
Gros Louis emphasized the challenge to the campus to make vigorous efforts to continue to increase the numbers of other minorities and women faculty in the years ahead.
A major step toward reversing the decline in the percentage of undergraduate African-American students and continuing the increase in other minority groups at IUB was the appointment last spring of Edwardo Rhodes, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, to supervise all campus diversity programs and the establishment of a new minority student recruitment program.
Gros Louis said the reorganization of the Groups Student Support Services program, under new director Janice Wiggins, is intended to strengthen recruiting of under-represented students. And the Minority Achievers Program, begun in 1988, continues to offer scholarship and mentoring support to 75 highly talented new students each year.
Gros Louis welcomed the student activism on the issue and has met with the planning group several times to exchange ideas and information. He invited other interested students to work creatively to help the campus recruit and retain African-American students and enhance its success with other minority groups.
"On this issue, we will benefit from a healthy public dialogue," Gros Louis said, encouraging students to share any ideas they have with Rhodes or the newly formed Campus Retention Commission, established last semester by Deborah Freund, vice chancellor and dean of the faculties.
The following table details current trends:
| 1988 | 1990 | 1992 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
| Minority Faculty | 6.9 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 9.3 | 9.8 | 10.3 | 10.4 |
| Female faculty | 19.6 | 21.6 | 22.7 | 24.4 | 25.7 | 25.7 | 27.0 |
| Minority undergrads | 6.9 | 7.6 | 8.3 | 8.8 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 9 |
| African-American undergrads | 4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
*Minorities, in this case, include those who have classified themselves as African-American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian-American. Percentages are rounded for simplicity.