Percentage of nonwhite enrollment is up at Kansas public colleges

Minority students make up a larger portion of the enrollment in Kansas public colleges and universities than they had previously, according to recent data collected by the state Board of Regents.

The percentage of white students enrolled at these Kansas public schools of higher education went from 68.4 percent in 2013-14 to 67 percent in 2014-15, according to the enrollment report reviewed by the board late last week.

The largest minority group enrolled in Kansas’ two- and four-year institutions is Hispanic, followed by black/African-American. The regents’ data indicate that the percentage of black students enrolled in public colleges in the state —7 percent — is larger than the percentage of black Kansas residents — 6.3 percent.

The situation is the opposite for Hispanic students, who make up 8.1 percent of public college students in Kansas but 11.9 percent of the state’s population.

For years, public colleges and universities have said they have boosted efforts to increase minority enrollment. Kansas is no exception. The issue rose to the level of national dialogue this year after racial unease turned to protests in November at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where students questioned the lack of diversity and equity on the campus.

Similar protests erupted on campuses around the country, including at the University of Kansas, where a predominantly African-American group, organized as Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk, began a push for diversity improvement at KU.

According to the Board of Regents, the percentages of black, Hispanic and multiracial students enrolled at KU have climbed each of the last five years, while over that time, beginning in the 2010-2011 academic year, white enrollment has declined more than 5 percentage points, from 75.4 percent to 70 percent last school year.

This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Percentage of nonwhite enrollment is up at Kansas public colleges."