Access Is Not Enough Report

A Report to the President Concerning Opportunities for Blacks at The University of Maryland at College Park

October 18, 1989

This document, Access is Not Enough (.txt), is designed to provide a comprehensive report concerning the opportunities for Blacks to be successful at the University of Maryland at College Park. All minorities are equally protected by our Affirmative Action Plan, but the College Park campus experience is considerably different for Blacks than it is for other minorities. These differences, our specific desegregation obligations, and the perceived need to maintain a specific focus for the report led to this decision to limit the report to Blacks. While this report will focus specifically on the issues that are inhibiting as well as supporting our current effort to provide black employees and students with a fair opportunity to be successful, it is anticipated that many of the recommendations will benefit all of our students and employees.

This document is organized according to six topic areas: Campus Climate, Pre-College Outreach Programs, Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff. For each of these topics, the document will include an introduction, a set of findings, and a set of recommendations. National data and trends are provided where available and appropriate.

In completing this report, appropriate campus and off-campus reports were reviewed, and individual and group meetings were held with university colleagues and students with special attention given to assuring that the perceptions of black faculty, staff and students were included in the findings of this document. These perceptions are extremely important in assessing the environment for Blacks at the College Park campus.