Latinos are the largest ethnic minority group in the United States; they are taking resources and jobs from Americans; they are "browning" their racial makeup--among other scenarios of doom that have accompanied the immigration debate. But with the 2008 presidential campaign season, Latinos have suddenly become the belles of the ball.…

US federal, state, and municipal courts are facing a severe shortage of qualified interpreters as the non-English-speaking population in the country soars. Virginia Benmaman, a professor of Hispanic studies and legal interpretation advocate, runs a bilingual legal interpretation program at the College of Charleston that helps students tackle the…

Latin America's largest university is now seeking students in the United States. Spotting a ripe market and a growing Hispanic population, the National Autonomous University of Mexico is steadily strengthening its foothold in the United States and Canada--one of the first inroads northward by a Latin American university. For decades the…

In 2005, 109,964 U.S. minority scholars held full-time faculty positions at American colleges and universities, up from 69,505 in 1995, according to the Education Department--a 58-percent increase. The proportion of minority scholars in the overall professoriate also rose, but not as much. The department found that 16.5 percent of scholars were…

The Hispanic student at the University of Maryland at College Park who won a court case challenging the restriction of one scholarship to black students has gone on to medical school. His argument was that scholarships should be based on merit and need, not restricted to any ethnic or racial group. (MSE)

A discussion at the Third International Conference on AIDS on ways to cross the cultural barriers that have prevented many black and Hispanic people from learning about the disease is described. (MLW)

Theorist William J. Wilson proposes that the increasing problems of inner-city minority groups stem not from a ghetto culture of poverty, as some contend, but from growing social isolation of poor Blacks and Hispanics and from changes in the economy. (MSE)

A survey of 536 institutions shows Black, Hispanic, and Asian graduate enrollments outpaced the overall national increase of 2.9 percent, with increases ranging from 8.4 percent to 13.1 percent. American Indians were the only American minority group not increasing its participation. More aggressive recruiting and an improved academic market are…

The Upward Bound and Student Support Services programs are the largest of five Education Department programs for disadvantaged students. At Southwest Texas Junior College, the struggle to recruit and hold on to students from an impoverished region depends on the constant stretching of federal dollars. (MLW)

Reports study findings indicating that the share of college and university presidencies held by women doubled from 1986 to 1998, and that of African American, Hispanic, Asian American, and American Indian presidents rose by 40 percent. Graphs detail findings concerning presidents' characteristics, percentage of women and minority presidents by…

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities will begin testing a comprehensive project to reverse the low educational attainment of Hispanic students in Texas. The project aims to increase high-school graduation, raise college-going rate, increase graduation rate of college students, and raise transfer rates of community college…

Minority politicians who believe that colleges have ignored them in the past are winning political posts that are crucial for higher education and are using their new power. The ethnic composition of the faculty at the University of New Mexico has been the target of legislators in the last year. (MLW)

Doubts among some teacher educators about progress toward reforming teacher education and problems in recruiting members of minority groups to the teaching profession are discussed. The establishment of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is described. (MLW)

According to a report by the Academy for Educational Development and the College Board, "Bridges to Opportunity," between 15 percent and 25 percent of community college students transfer to four-year institutions. Community colleges must make liberal arts programs their top priority if they are to help Black and Hispanic students…

A program developed by a mathematics educator at the University of California at Berkeley is changing the way mathematics and science are being taught to minority group students. The workshop program stresses academic excellence and tackles mathematics problems that are tougher than those in the regular class. (MLW)