New USC Report Grades Level of Equity for Black Students by State and Institution

Title: Black Students at Public Colleges and Universities: A 50-State Report Card

Author: Shaun R. Harper and Isaiah Simmons

Source: USC Race and Equity Center

A report recently released by the University of Southern California (USC) Race and Equity Center focuses on the level of equity for black students in each state and their four-year, non-specialized, public postsecondary institutions, using four equity indicators: representation, gender, completion, and black student-to-black faculty ratio.

Institutional grades were given based upon how well they performed on the four indicators compared to other institutions in the nation. The average of each state’s institutions were then used to determine a state’s overall score.

Based on the findings, the authors suggest that some inequities can be addressed by increasing the number of black college recruiters on campuses, ensuring that student outreach equally supports both black men and women, and closely examining institutional racial climate and financial support issues that may negatively impact the retention of black students.

The scores of each state and institution, as well as further recommendations, can be found in the full report.

—Ben Schaap