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Funding diversity

Gov. Jeb Bush's "Diversity Initiative" could boost minority enrollment in Florida's universities by directing financial aid to those who need it most.

Of the myriad reasons Florida has struggled to attract African-American students to its public universities, cost cannot be ignored. Gov. Jeb Bush, in his newly announced "diversity initiative," has taken an admirable step to deal with it.

The governor wants to increase need-based financial aid and scholarship incentives for at-risk students by a combined $39.8-million next year. He also wants to take a page out the recruitment playbook of University of Florida president Bernie Machen by offering $6.5-million for matching grants to students who are the first in their families to attend college.

These are practical steps that help open the doors of higher education to students whose families simply can't afford the opportunity, and those students are disproportionately minority. Perversely, Florida's substantial investment in student aid is distributed mostly to families that may not need it. Of the 10 most populous states, Florida ranks first in grants that are unrelated to financial need and last in those that help families in need.

The money Bush is offering is only a start toward dealing with the true financial need, particularly as tuitions continue to increase. But his effort does reach out to university recruiting experts and establish a commission that is to oversee a variety of strategies, including minority mentoring.

"We want to make sure we know the best practices, what is working at particular universities," says Sheila McDevitt, the university Board of Governors member who will lead the commission. ". . . One thing I have stressed over and over is to get your (university) foundations involved in this. I can see a bunch of opportunities."

The job is not an easy one. The number of incoming black freshmen this year dropped by 9.5 percent, which the governor termed a "wake-up call." But the Democrats who are eager to blame Bush because he eliminated affirmative action are fighting yesterday's war. One Florida hasn't achieved all of the promised results for racial diversity in universities, but what the governor is proposing can help. He deserves support.

[Last modified January 13, 2006, 01:45:18]