August 17, 2004

SIUC a leader in graduating minority students

by Tom Woolf

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale continues to rank as one of the nation's elite institutions for awarding bachelor's degrees to African-American students.

The annual national survey conducted by Black Issues in Higher Education magazine ranks SIUC seventh among the country's traditionally white institutions in the total number of degrees in all fields awarded to black undergraduates. SIUC ranked 19th in the total number of undergraduate degrees awarded to African-American students when statistics from historically black and traditionally white schools were combined.

The University ranked second in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to African-American education majors and third in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to all minority education majors. The rankings reflect combined statistics from historically black and traditionally white schools.

In addition, SIUC ranked fourth in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans in health professions and related clinical sciences majors. Again, the rankings reflect combined statistics from historically black and traditionally white schools.

"Our commitment to diversity dates to our very first graduating class, which included two African Americans," Chancellor Walter V. Wendler said. "Diversity is a way of thinking and a way of behaving. We have increased our efforts to recruit and retain students, faculty and staff who mirror the diversity of our society, and we will continue to find ways to further enhance our efforts."

The University's commitment to diversity is one of the core values of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint for the development of SIUC by the time it observes its 150th anniversary in 2019.

"The rankings exemplify our long-standing commitment to African-American students and all minority students," said Seymour Bryson, SIUC's associate chancellor for diversity.

The magazine's annual survey, based on statistics collected by the U.S. Department of Education for the previous academic year, identifies the country's top 100 colleges and universities awarding bachelor's degrees to African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic and Native American students. The magazine has issued the study since 1992.

SIUC graduated 601 African-American students in 2002-03. The only other Illinois school conferring more undergraduate diplomas on black students that year was Chicago State University, with 672 graduates. Chicago State ranked fourth among white schools and 13th among black and white schools combined.

Other highlights from the magazine's survey:

  • SIUC ranked 11th in the number of health professions and related clinical sciences bachelor's degrees awarded to all minority students.
  • SIUC tied for 15th in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Native American education majors.
  • The University ranked 19th in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanic education majors.
  • SIUC tied for 46th in the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanic health professions and related clinical sciences majors.
  • The University tied for 12th in the number of master's degrees awarded to African-American students in the biological and biomedical sciences.
  • SIUC tied for 45th in the number of master's degrees awarded to African-American students in the health professions and related clinical sciences.