Encouraging minority students to pursue science, technology, engineering and math careers : a briefing before the United States Commission on Civil Rights held in Washington, D.C

2010·7 MB·English

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U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
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2010
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— Encouraging Minority Students to Pursue-
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ence, Technology, Engineering and Math Careers
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OCTOBER 2010
U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipar¬ Gerald A. Reynolds, Chairman
tisan agency established by Congress in 1957. It is directed Abigail Thernstrom, Vice Chair
to:
Todd Gaziano
• Investigate complaints alleging that citizens are being
Gail Heriot
deprived of their right to vote by reason of their race, color,
Peter N. Kirsanow
religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or by reason
Arlan D. Melendez
of fraudulent practices.
Ashley L. Taylor, Jr.
• Study and collect information relating to discrimination or a
Michael Yaki
denial of equal protection of the laws under the Constitution
because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or
Martin Dannenfelser, Staff Director
national origin, or in the administration of justice.
• Appraise federal laws and policies with respect to discrimi¬
nation or denial of equal protection of the laws because of
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or
624 Ninth Street, NW
in the administration of justice.
Washington, DC 20425
■ Serve as a national clearinghouse for information in respect
to discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws (202) 376-81 28 voice
because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or [phone] TTY
national origin.
www.usccr.gov
■ Submit reports, findings, and recommendations to the
President and Congress.
■ Issue public service announcements to discourage
discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws.
This report is available on disk in ASCII Text and Microsoft Word 2003 for persons with visual impairments. Please call [phone].
Encouraging Minority
Students to Pursue
Science, Technology,
Engineering and
Math Careers
A Briefing Before
The United States Commission on Civil Rights
Held in Washington, DC
Briefing Report

Letter of Transmittal
The President
The President of the Senate
The Speaker of the House
Sirs and Madam:
The United States Commission on Civil Rights (“Commission”) is pleased to transmit this report.
Encouraging Minorities to Pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Careers. A
panel of experts briefed the Commission on September 8, 2008, on possible reasons that minority
students who begin college intending to major in science, technology, engineering or math
(“STEM”) leave these disciplines in disproportionate numbers before graduation. They also
discussed possible ways to improve the retention of these students in STEM degree programs.
Based on that briefing, the Commission developed the findings and recommendations that are
included in this report.
The Commission found that regardless of their racial or ethnic backgrounds, college freshmen
show equally substantial degrees of interest in STEM careers. Despite similar levels of interest,
the Commission found that black and Hispanic students are ultimately less likely to major in or
obtain doctoral degrees in STEM disciplines than are whites and Asians. Data presented to the
Commission indicated that racial and ethnic discrimination in college is not a substantial factor in
these disproportionate STEM attrition rates. It found that academic mismatch—one consequence
of some schools’ racially and ethnically preferential admissions policies—is an important reason
for these disparities, however.
For example, data indicate that success in STEM majors depends both on a student’s absolute
entering academic credentials and his or her credentials relative to other students in his or her
classes. When black and white students have the similar academic credentials black students are
actually more likely than their white counterparts to obtain STEM degrees. Thus, the
Commission ascribed the higher minority7 attrition from STEM programs to credentials gaps or
“mismatch” stemming in part from racially preferential admissions policies.
The Commission recommended that selective colleges not admit any STEM student with a large
deficit in academic credentials relative to its STEM median without fully informing that student
of the potential impact of such deficit on that student. Such disclosure should include the
school’s record of graduating students with similar academic credentials in STEM majors.
Similarly, the Commission urged high school guidance counselors to advise students about the
impact of large deficits in academic credentials on success in a particular college’s STEM
program. It further noted that well-designed academic support programs can sometimes help
students with modest deficits in credentials to succeed in STEM programs and advised schools to
implement the best practices employed by such programs and make admitted students aware of
their availability.
Part A, which consists of the body of this report, was approved on June 11, 2010 by Chairman
Reynolds and Commissioners Gaziano, Heriot, Kirsanow and Taylor. Vice Chair Themstrom
abstained, and Commissioner Yaki voted against. Vote tallies for each of the Commission’s
findings and recommendations, which make up Part B of the report, are noted therein.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.1
Findings and Recommendations.3
Summary of Proceedings.7
Richard Sander. 7
Richard Tapia.21
Rogers Elliott.22
Thomas Fortmann.26
Robin Willner.27
Discussion.29
Statements.37
Richard Tapia.37
Rogers Elliott.44
Thomas E. Fortmann.68
Robin Willner.71
Speaker Biographies.75
Richard Sander.75
Richard Tapia.75
Rogers Elliott.75
Thomas Fortmann.76
Robin Willner.76
Commissioner Statements and Rebuttals.77
Statement of Commissioner Gail Heriot.77
Statement of Commissioner Ashley L. Taylor, Jr.93
Dissent of Commissioners Michael Yaki and Arlan D. Melendez.94
Joint Rebuttal of Commissioners Gail Heriot, Peter Kirsanow and Todd Gaziano.96