At a school with 43,000 other students, each of us enters as just another number.
If a student doesn’t make connections and feel comfortable, he or she will get left behind while the university moves on about its business.
Many minority students are finding this to be the case.
The Detroit News recently published a study of seven Michigan universities. The study followed the class of 1994 through graduation.
After six years, 40 percent of blacks, 61 percent of whites and 74 percent of Asians graduated.
MSU’s number are above average. Graduation rates are 44.7 percent for blacks and 70.4 percent for whites, but the gap is still abundantly obvious.
“I don’t think Michigan universities are minority-friendly,” 2001 MSU graduate Tamiko Jones told The State News. “Once you’re admitted, you’re nothing but a number. You have to prove yourself.”
Among other things, experts have told The Detroit News that financial concerns, academic preparation and an unwelcoming community may be to blame.
And after an 8.9 percent tuition increase, things aren’t getting any easier.
It’s difficult to generalize what makes graduation rates lower for blacks than whites and Asians. Each student’s story is different, but there do seem to be trends.
If a student’s parents went to college, he or she may have more support to attend themselves, as well as someone at home who can offer advice.
On the other hand, a student from an unsupportive community has to prove his or herself.
Many minorities don’t have this built-in support system. They come into the dorms meeting people from mostly different backgrounds - it’s easy to feel left out.
On top of that are the 300-person lecture classes. Nobody’s going to hold your hand, you have to do it on your own.
Luckily there are support systems. MSU has an Office of Minority Student Affairs. There are tutoring services, clubs and black caucuses.
The university can’t be blamed for the socioeconomic backgrounds of its students, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a problem.
The race gap extends beyond college. It’s a problem across the country. It can be seen in the statistics of the average income of a black person compared to a white person and how many blacks are in prison compared to whites.
What’s going on at MSU is a microcosm of the rest of the world. That doesn’t mean we don’t have to fix it.
The best thing black students at MSU can do is to take advantage of the programs the university has to offer. They’re free and the people are friendly and helpful.
With this kind of support, a student may find it easier to fit in at college and consequently earn his or her degree with a minimum of stress.
