African American Males in College

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African American Males in College

• 2009 Southeastern Regional GEAR UP Conference
• Jackson, Mississippi
• October 7, 2009
• Dr. Reginald Sykes
• Assistant Commissioner for Community and Junior
  College Relations
• Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

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African American Males in College

• Purpose of African American Males in College Task
  Force
• To offer recommendations and strategies to
  increase the enrollment, retention, and
  graduation rates of African American males in
  Mississippis Institutions of Higher Education

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African American Males in CollegeTask Force

• Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning
• State Board for Community and Junior Colleges
• Mississippi Department of Education
• Community/Business Leaders

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African American Males in College Initiative

• Sub-committees
• Research - data and trends
• K-12 - critical issues that impact IHL enrollment
• Recruitment/Retention - review recruitment,
  retention, and marketing
• 
  strategies
• Best Practices - successful programs
• Community Relations - identify parents, civic and
  business
• 
  leaders/organizations to serve as partners
• Community/Junior College - strategies in the
  enrollment, retention and
• 
  graduation of African American males at
• 
  Community/Junior Colleges

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African American Enrollment Trends

• Nationally, there is a 2 to 1 ratio of African
  American females to males enrolled in higher
  education
• African American males lag behind African
  American females in degree completion rates
• African American males trail other groups in
  society in almost every educational category

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Mississippi Department of Education African
American Enrollment2008

• Total Enrollment 491,194 Students
• African American Females 123,027 25
• African American Males 124,933 25

Source MDE, 2009
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IHL African American Enrollment
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Source IHLMIS, 2009
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IHL Enrollment by Gender and Ethnicity
System Enrollment is around 71,000
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Source IHLMIS, 2009
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Mississippi High School Graduation Rates2008

• All Students 72
• African American Females 74
• African American Males 58

Source MDE, 2009
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IHL Six-Year Graduation Rates for First-Time,
Full-Time Freshmen
System Average is 48
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Source IHLMIS, 2009
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IHL One-Year Retention Rates for First-Time,
Full-Time Freshmen
System Average is 75
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Source IHLMIS, 2009
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IHL Average ACT Composite Scores for Entering
Freshmen
System Average is 21.6
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Source IHLMIS, 2009
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Mississippi Community/Junior CollegeAfrican
American Enrollment
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Source MACJC 2007-2008 Annual Report
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Mississippi Community/Junior CollegeAfrican
American Enrollment Percentage By Curriculum,
Fall 2007
Source MACJC 2007-2008 Annual Report
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Mississippi Community/Junior CollegeAfrican
American Enrollment PercentageIn A Remedial
Course
Source MACJC 2007-2008 Annual Report
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Mississippi Community/Junior CollegeAfrican
American Graduation, 2006-07
Source MACJC 2007-2008 Annual Report
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Mississippi Community/Junior CollegeAfrican
American Graduation Percentage By Curriculum,
2006-07
Source MACJC 2007-2008 Annual Report
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Mississippi Department of CorrectionsSelf-Repor
ted Education Level of African American Male
Inmates
Education Level African American Males

GED 1,069
Grade 12 1,535
4 Years College 48
Bachelors 15
Masters 3
Doctoral 1
Total 2,671(18.5)
As of May 1, 2009 23,386 males incarcerated in
Mississippi 14,432 African American males
incarcerated in Mississippi
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Source MDC Fact Sheet 2009
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Task Force Recommendations

• To craft a model for data collection, database
  development and analysis that will form the
  content of recommendations on policies and
  programs directed for the African American Males
  in College Initiative
• To use data and analyses to determine what
  programs work (i.e. best practices) and those
  that do not work
• To review steps, programs and procedures that
  lead to successful collegiate-level matriculation
  of African American males
• To identify essential social resources that
  measure success (i.e., financial and human) and
  to identify social determinations that impede
  successful collegiate-level matriculation

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Strategies

• Adopt-a-School Program
• Summer Programs for Young Scholars
• Life After High School Tours
• Identity Programs
• Speakers Bureau
• Peer Mentoring Training
• Provide Leadership Activities
• Cultural Enrichment and Co-curricular Activities

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Strategies

• Expand Involvement in Student Organizations
• Exposure to other Cultures and Communities
• Provide Academic Advising and Planning
• Provide Peer Mentoring Training
• Assist Community Groups
• Ongoing Seminars
• Financial Support from Greek Organizations
• Utilize Community Programs to Inform Parents

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Next Steps

• Community and Junior College Presidents
• Strategies and Measures
• Best Practices

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• Questions

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