Oakland U. programs lead to minority gains

The university responded by creating an Office of Equity in 1994. Since then, Peaster has been an integral part of the university's increasingly successful effort to attract and retain minority students.

Peaster, a residence hall advisor and a member of the Association of Black Students and Sigma Lambda Gamma, has been a mentor to 12 students in one of several programs developed by the Office of Equity.

Student mentors do everything from advise minority students on finances and race relations to help them choose courses. They often are a crucial aid and provide help for students with inadequate educational backgrounds or uncertainty about the college experience, The Oakland Press said in a story yesterday.

Peaster said the equity office has definitely improved services for minorities during her time at the University. Before such programs, Peaster said that urban black students had a particularly difficult time adjusting to the mostly white environment of higher academic culture.

"I think it's very helpful for incoming freshmen. They have someone to talk to and they can gain from the mentor's experience," Peaster said.

Junior Alice Boston is among those minority students who have been involved in the programs since her first year at Oakland.

"Through the Office of Equity I made a great group of friends," said Boston, a public administration major from Detroit. "It's been my foundation since I've been here."

Glenn McIntosh, who started the mentoring program and works in the Office of Equity, said the school's retention rate for minority students has increased dramatically.

Three years ago, the school was often losing academically talented students to Wayne State University or black universities in the South.

"Our numbers are up as far as actual numbers of students of color on campus as well as those persisting from freshman to junior year," McIntosh said. "From Day One we take away the stigma students have about asking for help."

McIntosh requires students to meet at least once a week with their mentors. He also meets with the students regularly and helps direct them to tutoring or other services.

This year the Office of Equity is providing services to about 300 mostly black students with a budget of $300,000. Of that, $200,000 is for scholarships.

There are about 766 black students among an approximate enrollment of 14,200 this term, compared with 720 blacks three years ago when enrollment was about 13,100, the school said.

Overall, minority enrollment went up from 2,167 to 2,519 in the period.

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