Kent State University Ashtabula is based in a rural county near Cleveland where Latino and black students comprise about one-third of the local high school. Despite their presence, only a few of them have successfully graduated.

Based on the college's record, hundreds of Latino students and blacks have enrolled during the past 10 years but black students are said to be underrepresented at the university.

For instance, freshman student Alexis Turner was focused as she listened to the administrators during their orientation for Kent State marked off the student organizations she could join that fall. Here choices were Psychology Club, English Society, and the Student Veterans Association.

Turner left the auditorium worried as she did not find any group she thought would be appropriate. There was no Multicultural Society, Black Student Union, or Latino Student Union on the list to tick.

Reasons for Inexistence

When the semester began, it turned out more obvious why the said clubs don't exist at Kent State University. Sadly, Turner said, there's not a lot of representation of black and Latino students.

Data collected by federal presented that for the first time, the six-year graduation rate for "full-time black students for five years now, has been zero."

According to officials of the university, that number has unsuccessfully captured the students since Ashtabula is a satellite or regional campus. 

And even though it offers both the bachelor's and associate degrees, said the officials, Kent State University Kent, the main campus gets credit for the students of Ashtabula who continue specific bachelor's degrees.

University officials also said, between fall 2013 and spring 2019, 55 black students were given bachelor's or associate degree from Ashtabula. 

The said number is an average of eight black students per year, at a college or university where roughly 100 black or Latino students enroll every year.

When it comes to graduating Latino and black students, Kent University has among worst records among public universities and colleges in Ohio, a state considered to have stood out countrywide for how bad it serves the so-called "students of color."

Less Likely to Finish a Degree

Ed Trust research analyst for higher education, Marshall Anthony Jr. said students of color "are half as likely" to finish a college degree at a public four-year institution than white students. 

The six-year graduation rate for students of color in Ohio is approximately 30 percent, comparable to the black students across the country at 40 percent.

Ohio desperately needs more college graduates. However, its problems with serving students of color contradict with the other universities across the United States that actively work to entice more diverse students and guarantee that they succeed.

A lot of systems in colleges in other states are adding more assistance or support services for students. Such services include centers for the students of color, tracing of data to keep tabs on the progress of students, and cash benefits for those experiencing financial struggle.

And despite Ashtabula's limited support services aimed for black students, university officials said they are not to be blamed for the graduation rates.  

School leaders, on the other hand, say, students, many of whom are low-waged households, need to "juggle jobs along with their coursework," extending the time they'd take to graduate.

More so, the officials said, local public schools are not preparing young students university classes to require.

Throughout Ohio, the campuses of Kent State which are of similar size are struggling as well, in serving students of color. 

Among first-time full-time students at the university's Salem campus with four-percent black, one black pupil received a bachelor's degree and two got an associate degree in 2017.

Meanwhile, at the Tuscarawas campus, also with four percent black, just one black student got an associate degree and no one received a bachelor's degree in 2017.

Part of the challenge of Ohio in this aspect is the cost. At present, director of Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland Maggie McGrath said, the state is 45th among the 50 states when it comes to college affordability.

At present, the cost of attendance is more than $8,000, and 62 percent of the students are given federal aid, although more often than not, it is not enough.

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