Numerically, diversity on UF’s campus has remained consistent over the last few years. However, a recently published study found colleges nationwide are becoming increasingly segregated.
Research presented Friday at the annual American Economic Association meeting illustrated the diversity slowdown.
The research, which studied about 40 years of data from most colleges in the U.S., found that segregation on college campuses isn’t dropping as quickly as it did in the 1960s and 1970s. It also found that states that ban affirmative action have been reducing segregation.
Florida is one of the states that does not have affirmative action, according to the research report. UF’s Director of Intercultural Engagement Jarrod Cruz said the university does not have a diversity quota to meet but does work within the state’s government policy.
He said UF strives to be inclusive and appealing to a variety of students.
“We consider ourselves to be one of the most diverse universities in the country and definitely in North Florida,” Cruz said.
According to the university’s Fall 2012 enrollment summary, about 58 percent of the 32,776 undergraduate students are white. Hispanic students made up about 18 percent. Black or African-American students, Asian students and others each comprised about 8 percent. These numbers only vary slightly with Fall 2010’s enrollment summary.
In Fall 2008, the numbers showed white and black students accounted for a higher percentage of the undergraduate population. About 63 percent of the 34,654 undergraduate students were white, and about 10 percent were black or African-American.
All races and ethnicities are self-identified by students, Cruz said.
Industrial and systems engineering junior Ranjit Vadlamannati, 19, said he thinks basing acceptance on qualifications makes UF’s admissions process fair.
“I don’t think UF is doing anything wrong,” he said.
Christina Chang, a 21-year-old zoology junior and president of the Chinese American Student Association, thinks UF appeals to different kinds of people.
While at UF, she said she’s seen Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic, African-American and some religious group organizations around campus regularly.
“Student organizations that are multicultural promote diversity,” Chang said.
She said she believes segregation is not the prominent issue but rather the fact that discrimination and prejudice in schools still exist.
“UF is a higher-ranking institution,” she said. “People who want to continue their education don’t always worry about ethnicity.”
