AUSTIN, Texas
More Blacks are studying at the University of Texas at Austin this semester than ever, breaking a record set the year a federal appeals court banned the use of race in admissions.
A record number of Hispanic students also are enrolled this semester, according to preliminary figures the university released Thursday.
The news comes two years after former president Larry Faulkner called for sweeping changes to make the campus more welcoming to students of color. Last year, the flagship university hired its first diversity officer.
“We are absolutely committed to an absolute top priority of making sure we have a diverse campus,” UT President William Powers said at a legislative hearing last week. He was not immediately available for comment Thursday.
Black student enrollment increased 5 percent to 1,939, and Hispanic student enrollment jumped 6 percent to 7,453. A total of 49,738 undergraduate, graduate and law school students are enrolled this semester.
Hispanic students now make up 15 percent of the student body, while Black students account for nearly 4 percent. White students account for 57 percent of the student body, while 14 percent are Asian. The rest of the students are American Indian, foreign or did not report their ethnicity.
