ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603180062
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
More black men are enrolling in Virginia colleges even as enrollment drops among men of other races, state figures show.
Enrolling black males is only the first step, university administrators say. Schools also have to ensure that they stay to get their diplomas.
The overall number of males decreased 2 percent, from 155,644 to 152,823, from 1992 to 1994, the last year breakdowns are available from the State Council of Higher Education. In contrast, the number of black males rose 3 percent during the same period, from 19,716 to 20,241.
Even so, men still make up a smaller share of the total black student enrollment in Virginia: 37 percent of the black student population is male, compared with 44 percent of whites.
``I'm surprised the number of black males in college continues to rise,'' said Victor Ledbetter, vice president of Hampton University's Student Government Association. ``I was not aware of the fact that there are so many African Americans in college, because of statistics given by the media. They always say that there are more blacks in jail than in college.''
Federal statistics show that 14,093 black males are imprisoned in Virginia.
Educators said the overall drop in male enrollment reflects a decline in the number of teen-agers graduating from high school statewide.
Freddye Davy, director of the honors college at Hampton University, attributed the increase in black male enrollment to cutbacks in the military and manufacturing jobs.
``Many of the black men who were previously in the military or factory workers are entering college now because it provides more opportunities,'' she said. ``The black man has never been stupid; he knows that it takes money to live a decent life.''
Nationally, overall male enrollment in colleges dropped 1 percent, from 6,502,000 in 1991 to 6,428,000 in 1993, the last year figures were recorded by the American Council on Education. Black male enrollment in that time rose 4.5 percent, from 517,000 to 540,000.
Colleges are looking for ways to keep black men enrolled.
``Every university I know is having problems with retention,'' said Patricia Cavender, director of admissions at Old Dominion University.
``If you look across the board, you will find that after the freshman year, the number of black males at historically white institutions takes a drastic drop,'' said Carlton Brown, dean of Hampton's School of Liberal Arts and Education.
He called for more nurturing and mentoring, starting in elementary school and continuing through college.
Officials at Hampton, Norfolk State and Old Dominion say they, too, are working to attract more black males to college.
Eight years ago, Norfolk State began a program recruiting black males into the school of education, primarily as early childhood and special education majors.
``It's a good employment area, the men have good talents, and more male role models are needed, particularly black males,'' said Elaine P. Witty, the education dean at Norfolk State.
Hampton University's programs include the Hampton Opportunity Program for Enhancement, which annually admits 25 promising black men who don't meet the university's SAT or grade requirements.
They get $1,000-a-year scholarships and intensive tutoring, counseling and regular seminars on topics such as ways to improve grades, said Donovan Rose, a program coordinator.
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