A report released by the university shows fluctuations in ethnic minority representation during a decline of MSU's overall student population during the 2002-03 school year.
The total number of domestic minority students on campus increased 0.4 percent, with Asian and Pacific Islander, and Chicano and Latino student populations experiencing increases.
Populations of American Indian, Alaskan Native and black students decreased.
"What you see is some fluctuation back and forth over the years," said Paulette Granberry Russell, director of the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Monitoring. The office produces the report "Diversity within Community" annually.
The largest ethnic minority group on campus, the black student population, dropped from 3,675 to 3,604.
Total MSU population decreased from 44,937 students to 44,542 students.
"Any decrease is reason to pause and review," Russell said. "But I don't think this particular situation is symptomatic of anything we're doing wrong."
Rodney Patterson, director of the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs and State News Board of Directors member, said the numbers are fairly in line with past MSU statistics.
He added that no specific effort by the university has affected the numbers.
"I don't think we're doing anything so creative that it's yielding more students," he said.
But Geneva Thomas, programming director for Black Student Alliance, said the university should be concerned about the decline in black student enrollment.
"Seventy-five students? That's a major reduction in my opinion," the history junior said, adding that the size of the black student population can be a major factor for high school students considering attending MSU.
"You have to feel like you have someone who looks like you, someone you can relate to," she said.
Though the Asian and Pacific Islander population at MSU grew during 2003, Asian Pacific American Student Organization co-chair R.J. Quiambao said he didn't think the numbers made much of a difference.
"We haven't really noticed in our community," Quiambao said. "Our population is pretty small."
The social relations junior said he didn't consider the size of the population when choosing to come to MSU.
"There are better indicators of whether or not a school would be good for an Asian-American college student," he said.
The involvement of the Asian Pacific American student organization on campus, and the strength of the student's specific academic program should be more important when considering a school, he said.
