Although affirmative action might be helping black students and other minorities get in to institutions of higher learning, it isn't necessarily keeping them there.
For a variety of reasons, less than half of black students in the nation aren't making it through college. The national graduation rate for black students is 39 percent, compared to 60 percent for white students, according to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
MSU, however, fares better. About 55 percent of the black students enrolled here earn a degree. Although it is still low, the rate is up 22 percent from 1989.
It's great for MSU to be above the average, but 55 percent still is no cause for celebration. Much more work is needed to ensure the needs of black students are being met.
The question of why black students aren't graduating in higher numbers is a tough one. It doesn't have one answer or an easy solution. Practical issues such as money and inadequate academic preparation stall graduations, and a sometimes unfriendly campus atmosphere or a lack of family support also can be factors.
As all students know, the jump to college life is a tough transition, especially if they have fewer people to relate to. When pressures and dissatisfaction build up, it's easy to find a reason to quit.
Raising MSU's retention rate has been a great concern for some time - especially because a large number of black students began enrolling in the late '60s, when many people viewed the university as a structure that kept black people out. In 1969, the Black Student Aide Program was established. With the addition of the aides helping to create a better atmosphere and the hiring of more black staff and faculty members, conditions began to improve. An eight-day study-in protest at the Administration Building in 1989 and the creation of the Office of Racial and Ethnic Student Affairs, or ORESA, also helped further the cause.
The fight for equality among different races always has been a gradual process. The fight to retain black students at MSU will remain a battle won through time and persistence. Although equality might occasionally take backslides, hard work and renewed interest keep issues progressive.
As attending college becomes the norm for the current generation, minority attendance should increase. If black students possess a bigger voice, more attention and work will be put toward making sure they see their education through to the end.
For minority students struggling with their studies, outlets exist. By seeking out the aides living on their dormitory floors or visiting the ORESA offices on the third floor of Student Services, they can find ways to get help.
Ultimately, finishing a college education is a personal choice, but there probably isn't anyone who could make it through without some help.
