One Florida, which removed race and ethnicity from college admissions' outreach, was a monumental step for Florida a decade ago. There was palpable -- and understandable -- mistrust by African Americans who feared they would lose ground at state universities.
The numbers of black, Hispanic and Asian students at Florida's 11 state-run universities tell an optimistic story a decade later, but there's still work to do.
Statewide, the percent of Hispanic and Asian students increased almost to parity with the percent of the overall minority population.
Hispanics, for instance, are 21 percent of Florida's population, and in 2008 they made up 18 percent of university students at the 11 schools -- up from 13.8 percent in 1998.
But the percent for African-American students has stagnated. Blacks are 16 percent of the state's population. In 1998, African Americans were 14 percent of college students. In 2008, they constituted 13.6 percent.
Today, it's clear that One Florida is only as good as the university leaders who champion it. Universities that ``adopt'' inner city schools, help mentor minority students as far back as middle school and offer grants and work-study programs to offset tuition will succeed in attracting -- and keeping -- top black students. Persistence is key. READ FULL STORY
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