Advising Black Students: Enhancing Their Academic Progress

Sanremi LaRue-Atuonah and Charlotte Doland

Gallaudet University

The objectives of this presentation are to provide a working model of a program that facilitates the success of black students in a predominantly white academic institution; to foster an awareness of different techniques used in the retention of black students; and to demonstrate methods of enhancing self-determination that lead to greater empowerment on the part of the black student. The Academic Advising Center at Gallaudet University’s Northwest Campus is geared toward the empowerment of minority students, particularly black students, through role modeling, client self-determination, and enhanced self-awareness.

Since the inception of a deaf president, Gallaudet University has been on the plodding path towards “equal rights” for deaf people. Many deaf people are quick to list and clarify their legal rights; this behavior is now evident throughout all levels of the University. However, a major contradiction lies in the seemingly elusive but very real area of racial ethnicity. Deaf people with dual minority status know very well the discrimination imposed on them. Although Gallaudet University has helped make the rights and concerns of deaf people heard, the black students at Gallaudet continue to experience racism. The contradiction is clear: the white students who so fervently fought for their “equal” rights continue to be insensitive to the rights and concerns of black deaf students.

Gallaudet University has been targeted by the black deaf community for many years as being insensitive to its needs. There are instances of institutional racism that seem to support that view: denial of financial aid by rehabilitation agencies; lack of interest in motivating black high school students to apply for college; encouragement by high school guidance counselors to take non-college-prep courses; and many more. In response to a survey done at Gallaudet which asked them why they were leaving school, black students cited a lack of funds, feeling uncomfortable in a predominantly white school, a curriculum devoid of black history or black issues, and a lack of black role models among the faculty and staff. Other research seems to support similar findings (Janasiewicz, 1987).

Table 1. U.S. Children in America with Hearing Impairments, 1988–1989 School Year

* By Center for Assessment and Demographic Studies

An overview of the University indicates that there is indeed a lack of sensitivity to the needs of black students. For instance, there are no black deaf American faculty members at the University level, and the curriculum is traditionally European-oriented. It is extremely difficult for black students to obtain certain viable jobs on campus, either before or after graduation. Many black students have turned to security personnel, cafeteria workers, housekeeping staff, and maintenance workers for support and reinforcement; most of these workers are not college graduates; many have not completed high school, and not all of them are well versed in sign language or deafness, but they are the only major source of role models available.

In an effort to understand some of the challenges facing minorities at Gallaudet University, we will look at statistics that show past and current trends related to degrees earned and the movement of minority students from prep status to the freshman class. In addition, we will discuss the role of the Academic Advising Center in fostering success among black students.

Table 1 shows the number of deaf and hard of hearing minority students considered “eligible” for recruiting purposes. How many actually make the first inquiry about Gallaudet? How many actually end up enrolled? Table 2 shows the number of minority students enrolled in the School of Preparatory Studies. There is some concern about the vast discrepancy between the numbers shown in Table 1 and Table 2. Surely, not all of the minority students qualify for admission to the University, but chances are that a significant number do qualify. Why aren’t these students applying? Are high school officials making presupposed judgments about the students’ potential? Are the students’ families unaware of financial resources available to them? Are students not being encouraged to participate in seminars presented by University recruiters? Or are students uninterested because Gallaudet alumni who visit their high schools have not been members of ethnic minority groups? The irony lies in the fact that deaf people themselves are a minority, which they are quick to forget.

Table 2. Minority Students Enrolled as Preps U.S. Students Only

* From the 1989 Admissions and Enrollment Report by the Office of Enrollment Services, Gallaudet University

Table 3. Promotion to Freshman by Year

* From Academic Advising Center, Northwest Campus; Jill Matteson, Records Technician, 1990

At the School of Preparatory Studies, the Academic Advising Center has identified as one of its greater responsibilities the encouragement of minority students; it is believed that these students are enrolled at Gallaudet at a greater academic disadvantage than their non-black counterparts. The academic advisors act as mentors for these students, providing support and encouragement to utilize the support services available in the areas of tutoring, unique tutoring, peer tutoring, and computer assisted instruction. Minority academic advisors would provide wonderful role models for these students.

Here at the Northwest Campus, the Academic Advising Center has found it crucial to inform all students, especially minority students, of their academic standing from day one. This enables students to determine the best way to get themselves promoted to freshman status. Table 3 shows the numbers of minority students who were successful in getting promoted to the freshman class. Although the promotion rate is revealing, an area of greater concern to the University is the dismal dropout rate of black students. The rate of attrition tends to increase when the students become upperclassmen, resulting in very low numbers at graduation time. Table 4 shows the number of students enrolled each year and the corresponding number who actually graduate from the University.

The results show a dismal attrition rate for blacks enrolled at Gallaudet, but these numbers may be skewed by the fact that both American blacks and African blacks are counted as “black.” In order to get an accurate picture of the status of the American black student at Gallaudet, statistics for each separate group would be needed.

Table 4. Black Student Enrollment and Degrees Awarded by Year

* Memorandum dated August 4, 1988, sent to Astrid Goodstein by Carol McLaughlin

Table 5 shows some of the differences between American blacks and African blacks. Overall, this dropout rate is very discouraging to the younger prep and freshman students. Black students, as well as other minority students, have indicated a concern for the lack of minority alumni. In addition, the University does not take advantage of the resources available within the minority alumni groups. As an example, a non-black staff member was recently appointed to be in charge of minority affairs on campus.

It is clear that something must be done to reverse this trend. For its part, the Academic Advising Center at the School of Preparatory Studies offers the following services to all students:

•an outline of academic expectations

•handbook on academic policies

•four week reports

•red flagging

•midterm grades

•career advising

•diagnostic screening and evaluations

•international student advising

•transfer student advising

•promotion advising

•student special services advising

•faculty/student conflict advising

•mentoring

Ideally, the entire school should participate in retention efforts aimed at minority students. It is only through a unified effort that we will finally achieve “equal rights” for all students at Gallaudet University.

Table 5. Factors Contributing to Retention/Attrition

About the Presenters

Sanremi LaRue-Atuonah is the coordinator of the Academic Advising Center at Gallaudet University’s Northwest Campus. She earned her M.S.W. from the University of Maryland and is a licensed practitioner in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Charlotte Doland is a professional academic advisor and coordinator of Special Services at Gallaudet University’s Northwest Campus. She has an M.S.W. from the University of Texas and is a licensed practitioner in the District of Columbia.

References

Center for Assessment and Demographic Studies, Gallaudet University.

Janasiewicz, B. A. (1987). Campus leaving behavior. National Academic Advising Association Journal, 7(2), 23–30.

Matteson, J. (1990). Records Technician, Academic Advising Center, Gallaudet University, Northwest Campus.

Office of Enrollment Services (1989). Admissions and enrollment report. Gallaudet University.