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Black students at Duke upset over study (finding more black students drop out of hard majors)
Herald-Sun ^ | January 12, 2012 | Neil Offen

Posted on 01/13/2012 2:44:23 PM PST by reaganaut1

DURHAM — Black students at Duke University are angry over a university research paper that found African-American undergraduates at the school are disproportionally more likely to switch from tough majors to easier ones.

“The implications and intentions of this research at the hands of our very own prestigious faculty, seemingly without a genuine concern for proactively furthering the well-being of the black community is hurtful and alienating,” wrote the officers of Duke’s Black Student Alliance in an email sent to the state NAACP.

The letter from Nana Asante, president of the alliance, challenged the faculty members involved in the research and the university administration to consider “what image has this … report portrayed to the rest of the country, namely our peer institutions, about Duke and its black students?”

The unpublished report, “What Happens After Enrollment? An Analysis of the Time Path of Racial Differences in GPA and Major Choice,” looked at the Duke freshman classes that matriculated in 2001 and 2002, in their first, second and fourth years of college.

It found that among students who initially expressed an interest in majoring in economics, engineering and the natural sciences, 54 percent of black men and 51 percent of black women ended up switching to the humanities or another social science.

By comparison, 33 percent of white women and just 8 percent of white men made the switch to majors that are considered less rigorous, require less study and have easier grading standards.

According to the paper, 68 percent of Duke’s black students but less than 55 percent of white students ended up majoring in the humanities or social sciences other than economics.

(Excerpt) Read more at heraldsun.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: bellcurve; bidenvoters; college; duke; wboopi
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To: reaganaut1

Obviously, we need to give MORE Taxpayer money to black under-achievers, and that will solve their problem with getting through tough courses?


41 posted on 01/13/2012 3:22:02 PM PST by traditional1 (Free speech for me.....not for thee)
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To: immadashell

Are these the same 88 who went after the Duke Lacrosse Players?


42 posted on 01/13/2012 3:22:59 PM PST by mortal19440
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To: reaganaut1
"54 percent of black men and 51 percent of black women ended up switching to the humanities or another social science"

I'm picking up a pattern here.....these stats are eerily equivalent to the criminal population in prisons.....

43 posted on 01/13/2012 3:23:27 PM PST by traditional1 (Free speech for me.....not for thee)
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To: Cowgirl of Justice

Who would have thunk?


44 posted on 01/13/2012 3:24:06 PM PST by The Old Commander (Where is Madam dufarge when we need her?)
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To: Cowgirl of Justice

Who would have thunk?


45 posted on 01/13/2012 3:24:14 PM PST by The Old Commander (Where is Madam dufarge when we need her?)
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To: reaganaut1; All

Before I could make a meaningful analysis of the meaning of this, I would need more information. For instance:

What were the economic backgrounds of these “black” students that dropped out of the “hard” subjects? Were they from poor families and lived in areas where the High Schools did not prepare them for a first rate university setting? In other words, were they allowed to enter with lower GPAs and college entrance exams than the rest of the college student body?

IF this is so I would expect that a “white” student from a similar economic background where a quality High School education was not available to do as poorly. However, does the University not allow “white” students of reduced backgrounds into the school? If not the comparison is not logical.

IF however, students - black or white - come from similar economic backgrounds with similar GPAs and entrance exam results....this would be a troubling findind. It would imply that “black” students are intrinsically lazy (seeking the path of least resistance) or not as mentally capable as their white counterparts. I find both of these conclusion as not being plausible.

I wish they would provide more information.


46 posted on 01/13/2012 3:26:09 PM PST by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: henkster
The left fiddles with data all the time, but when the results don't
meet their agenda they become irate.
I love it when truth hits them in the nose.
47 posted on 01/13/2012 3:26:36 PM PST by MaxMax
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To: henkster

We saw this switch by Black middle class students at the high school our kids attended. It was Nicolet H.S., a suburban school where 80% go onto college and most, even minorities are middle class. I was a parent active on PTA committees and from knowing kids and parents and from the committee reports I had access to saw a lot of the Black kids were taking the minimum of math and science required to still get into college. The college bound whites, especially the Jewish and Asian kids were taking science and math for all 4 years of HS, as they wanted to be doctors, researchers or engineers.


48 posted on 01/13/2012 3:29:01 PM PST by RicocheT (Eat the rich only if you're certain it's your last meal)
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To: reaganaut1

Awww the poor little race baiters got their itty bitty feewings hurt..... Truth is painful aint it.


49 posted on 01/13/2012 3:29:17 PM PST by SouthernBoyupNorth ("For my wings are made of Tungsten, my flesh of glass and steel..........")
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To: reaganaut1
“The implications and intentions of this research at the hands of our very own prestigious faculty, seemingly without a genuine concern for proactively furthering the well-being of the black community is hurtful and alienating,”

Translation: We can't HANDLE the truth!

50 posted on 01/13/2012 3:32:34 PM PST by Feckless (I was trained by the US << This Tagline Censored by FR >> ain't that irOnic?)
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To: immadashell
Eighty eight Duke faculty members wrote a letter in support of the Black Student Alliance without having read any of the study.

That's funny.

Seriously, did the study dig deeper to define the reasons why? Imho, it is not a matter of ability, but other factors are at play and those factors need to be identified in order to help solve the problem. This kind of crap has gone on for far too long and these outcomes are not helping the black community.
51 posted on 01/13/2012 3:34:58 PM PST by khnyny (Our government has become Hal in "2001 A Space Odyssey")
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To: O6ret
OK, so the report’s findings are “...hurtful and alienating...”

But are they factual?

The fact that they're factual is what makes them hurtful and alienating.

52 posted on 01/13/2012 3:37:09 PM PST by Bob
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To: crosshairs

I believe and see it all to often.


53 posted on 01/13/2012 3:41:06 PM PST by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: reaganaut1
the same kind of mutts that don't like background checks as a condition of employment...
54 posted on 01/13/2012 3:42:44 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: reaganaut1

Their complaint sounds like another version of “If the truth hurts, reject the truth.” Seems they have been ingrained with that narrative. Especially since the liberal Marxists have been telling them for 70 years that “It’s OK to reject the truth - we will care for you, and cuddle you, and make that boo-boo all better!”


55 posted on 01/13/2012 3:49:23 PM PST by majormaturity
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To: crosshairs
Next the minoritees you know will want the Universities to continue to bend the curves like they did with the school system you know.

Granddaughter is applying to a great University for Pre Med as she is 3rd in a class of 540 in her high school.

My Doctor asked "is she black"?

A NATION GONE MAD.

56 posted on 01/13/2012 3:49:36 PM PST by oldtimer (uee)
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To: khnyny

“at the hands of our very own prestigious faculty,”

Always victims.


57 posted on 01/13/2012 3:49:36 PM PST by APatientMan (Pick a side)
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To: APatientMan

Well, yeah, that’s true, but I think you have to understand the level and depth of the paranoia. For many generations that paranoia was well deserved, and in lots of places in this country today it still exists.

That being said, people will use whatever Ace they have up their sleeve to advance their own goals. It is human nature and is rather smart. People and social issues are complicated.


58 posted on 01/13/2012 4:18:04 PM PST by khnyny (Our government has become Hal in "2001 A Space Odyssey")
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To: reaganaut1

Geeze, there’s always the NBA!!!!!!!!!!! Or how about a career storming Foot Lockers to steal Air Jordans??????????? See, the opportunities for these geniuses are endless!


59 posted on 01/13/2012 4:31:46 PM PST by Doc Savage ("I've shot people I like a lot more,...for a lot less!" Raylan Givins)
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To: reaganaut1

“...without a genuine concern for proactively furthering the well-being of the black community....”

What is being advocated in that statement.....affirmative grading on top of affirmative action admissions?

News Flash! Only enroll in schools and courses for which you have scholastically PREPARED and you’ll be fine!


60 posted on 01/13/2012 4:37:52 PM PST by Tucker39
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