
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 29, 1993                   TAG: 9307290203
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

VA. COLLEGES ENROLL MORE MINORITIES

Virginia's public colleges and universities have seen a significant rise in the number of minority enrollments over the past 10 years, a study shows.

The review by the State Council of Higher Education said Asians and Hispanics made the greatest strides. They made a gain of 141 percent, growing to 19,473 students in 1992.

The second biggest gain was among foreign exchange students in fall semesters between 1983 and 1992, the period studied by the agency. Their numbers increased nearly 37 percent to 5,347 last year.

The ranks of blacks entering Virginia's public colleges increased by nearly 25 percent - more than double the 12 percent growth rate of white students.

"It's important growth," James M. Alessio, the council's associate director for research, said of black enrollments. "It shows a state that has made dramatic changes since the 1970s in the racial makeup in higher education." - Associated Press

Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.

by CNB