African-American representation among new lawyers and doctors has improved very modestly over the past 10 years and still remains substantially below the general population rate. Only among divinity degree recipients do African-Americans attain levels commensurate with their general population levels.
If, as we stated at the beginning of this article, the attainment gap at the highest degree levels reflects a gap in opportunities to influence social structures, these findings are a cause for concern. We can only hope that the tens of thousands of new graduate degree recipients of color are up to the challenge of contributing, beyond their numbers, to the improvement of our common fate.
— Dr. Victor M.H. Borden is associate vice chancellor and associate professor; Pamela C. Brown is an enrollment specialist; and Amy K. Garver is a research assistant at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
