Higher Education Desegregation: An Analysis of State Efforts in Systems Formally Operating

Segregated Systems of Higher Education

Louisiana State UniversityEdwin Litolff

Statement of Problem

The purpose of this study is to longitudinally analyze the results of desegregation efforts at public colleges and universities in states that formally operated dual systems of higher education. The progress, rate of change, and pattern of desegregation will be quantifiably measured using a desegregation index and analyzed using repeated measure analysis of variance, cross-sectional analysis, log linear trend analysis, and time series analysis

Research Questions

• To what extent have the states that previously operated dual systems of higher education and were involved in the Adams v. Richardson (1973) litigation desegregated?

• To what degree and at what rate has desegregation taken place in the states that previously operated dual systems of higher education and were involved in the Adams v. Richardson (1973) litigation?

• Is there a difference in desegregation results between two-year and four-year institutions in states that previously operated dual systems of higher education and were involved in the Adams v. Richardson (1973) litigation?

Higher Education Desegregation

• Historical perspective– Morrill Act II– Plessy v. Ferguson– Brown v. Board of Education– Civil Rights Act– Adams v. Richardson– California v. Bakke– United States v. Fordice– Hopwood v. Texas– Michigan Cases (Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v.

Bollinger)

Higher Education Desegregation• Alabama• Arkansas• Delaware• Florida• Georgia• Kentucky• Louisiana• Maryland• Mississippi• Missouri• North Carolina• Ohio• Oklahoma• Pennsylvania• South Carolina• Tennessee• Texas• Virginia• West Virginia

Methodology

• Descriptive research technique• Desegregation Index

– Data Collection• 18 Years of IPEDS Enrollment Data between

1980 and 2004• Over 37,000 records for all 50 states

– Sample• Public, degree granting higher education

institutions with at least 2 year degree programs in the United states

– Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance– Time Series

Desegregation Index

½ D =

n1 N

w1 W

0 = Complete Desegregation

100 = Complete Segregation

Adams vs. Non Adams States

42.4

32.8

39.4

28.7

05

1015202530354045

1980 2004

Adams States Non Adams States

Desegregation Index 1980/2004

State 1980 2004

MO 53.39 48.70

DE 56.48 48.60

MD 50.80 47.73

TN 43.02 47.09

AR 38.57 46.38

NC 45.62 43.53

PA 51.22 43.50

MS 52.84 41.62

AL 35.89 40.98

LA 52.33 40.56

GA 34.55 40.34

VA 46.85 38.23

TX 43.58 37.79

FL 32.21 36.44

KY 30.26 31.99

SC 41.00 31.94

OH 34.39 31.11

OK 28.19 27.81

WV 33.56 24.62

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

MO

DE

MD

TN

AR

NC

PA

MS

AL

LA

GA

VA

TX

FL

KY

SC

OH

OK

WV

Largest Declines – Louisiana/MississippiLouisiana

5250 51 52 52 52 51 49 49 48

46 4643 43 42 41 41 41

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1980

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Mississippi

5350 51 49

46 45 44 4446

42 40 41 41 39 41 41 41 42

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1980

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Largest Increases – Arkansas/Alabama

Alabama

36 36 37 37 3841 41 39

34 34 34

40 40 38 39 40 41 41

05

101520253035404550

1980

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Arkansas

39 3741 41

38 38 40 41 42 44 45 47 45 44 46 47 46 46

05

101520253035404550

1980

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Possible Conclusions/Implications• Desegregation results/trends

• Forecasting• Policy implications• Cause-effect relationships

• Future Studies• State and Federal Policy• Higher Education Policy• Institutions (Desegregation index, enrollment,

funding, degree programs, faculty/staff Desegregation Index

• Management Boards• Scholarships/Recruiting

Questions/Comments