Present (2000-Present)

The University of Idaho campus in present times is very similar to the campus of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s in regard to the smaller population of students and faculty of color connected to the University. Taking a look at the general population of the University in the 2000-2001 school year, the total undergraduate Black student population enrolled at the time was 57 out of 8,759 students, and the total for faculty of color on campus (which includes Black, Latinx, and Native-American) was 43 out of 600 faculty.¹ While the numbers reported for Black students and faculty are low, it does show that the University had become more diverse than it had been in its earlier years of Black student enrichment and Black faculty instruction.

Another report from the 2002-2003 school year also indicates this progress as the numbers of Black students and faculty of color both increased, with Black students numbering 65 out of 9,368 students and faculty of color rising to 50 out of 611 faculty members.² These numbers indicate that the University was slowly catching up in terms of better recruitment practices to encourage a more diverse campus. The increased number of Black students and faculty on campus not only diversified the student population but also actively saw the increase of Black student organizations on campus and a greater Black voice. This increased voice and activity led to the revitalization of the Black Student Union on campus, which led to an effective movement towards establishing a Black identity on campus.

Notes