Middle States report finds lack of diversity at University of Delaware

The University of Delaware is looking for ways to increase its diversity after a summer report from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education found a lack of diversity and “worrisome” graduation rates of minority students.

Just how homogeneous is the campus? Last year’s number show the student body was 77 percent white, 5 percent black and 5 percent Hispanic. The remaining 13 percent was made up of other ethnicities.

So what’s to be done? The UDel Review cites the creation of student groups and the Diversity and Equity Commission, while students say specific things like a house for the black fraternities could increase minority presence on campus.

Part of the problem is also that the underrepresented student groups also fail to meet the admissions requirements.

Minority rates are higher this year at the university, though black and Hispanic students were still graduating at lower rates than their white peers, according to the most recent stats of 2009.