UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley and Provost Pat Farrell told campus community members Thursday at the 7th Annual Diversity and Climate Forum that UW-Madison isn ot reaching diversity goals set by Plan 2008 as quickly as the university would like, partly because more people need to be involved.
""Everyone has to be committed, not just a couple of students,"" Farrell said.
UW-Madison senior Leon Carlos Miranda said he was forced to drop out of UW-Madison last year because of tuition increases. He said he thinks the university should do exit interviews after students drop out.
""They claim it's very difficult to find students after they leave, but yet I was able to get contacted with the bill,"" Miranda said.
Retention rates for minority students have consistently been lower than their white counterparts. Graphs at the forum showed about 86 percent of all students remained at UW-Madison after two years in 2003, but only 80 percent of targeted minorities were still here. However, this is an increase from the two-year minority retention rate of just under 75 percent in 2001.
""This is one of those schools where it's supposed to be affordable for people from all income groups,"" said Wiley. ""It just isn't.""
He said widening income gaps nationwide are in part to blame for issues at UW-Madison.
According to Farrell, the university will turn to private fundraising this year to provide need-based scholarships for students, because the state refuses to offer more money for financial aid.
""We're making progress as fast as we can with what we've got now,"" said Wiley. ""But by the time we reach our current targets, those won't be the targets anymore. We'll have to raise them again.""
