Taffye Clayton takes on graduation rates for black males

Taffye Clayton spent 20 years trying to better integrate the issue of diversity into the world of higher education. Last year, she was hired by her alma mater, UNC, to do just that.

Clayton, former chief diversity officer at East Carolina University, started as UNC’s new vice provost for diversity and multicultural affairs in February of last year. She replaced Terri Houston, who served in the position as an interim associate provost.

Arguably one of the most pressing issues Clayton has faced during her time at UNC is the startling statistics of black male graduation and retention rates.

“We are still determining what some of the factors are that really show how minority males can be effective at Carolina. The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs is being a major facilitator in this conversation,” said Clayton, jovial and witty in an interview.

A 2010 study shows that UNC’s four-year graduation rate is just 49.2 percent for black males, a far cry from the 70.8 percent graduation rate for white males. In May 2012, more than 38 percent of African-American male seniors did not graduate.

The disparity between the black male graduation rates and the overall graduation rate is higher at UNC-CH than it is at other schools in the UNC system.

When a single group is struggling so much more than others on campus, something is clearly wrong. Until this problem is fixed, the entire University community suffers.

However, Clayton said this issue is not relegated to UNC; rather, it’s a national issue.

“We are trying to determine what the national best practices are saying and what are the specific things that we are seeing in our Carolina environment,” Clayton said.

She gave a list of three things that she has observed — minority males who are successful are good at academic self-management, awareness of the necessary steps to graduate and are engaged outside of the classroom.

Clayton also commended Shirley Ort, associate provost and director of scholarships and student aid, as well as the Carolina Covenant program for having a positive impact on black males.

“Data right now gives us an indication that all of the kinds of amenities and academic services that Covenant scholars are getting are really impacting the scholars positively and influencing them positively.”

Clayton said diversity and multicultural recruitment programs are essential to retaining black males.

One of these programs, Project Uplift, was established to enable rising high school seniors from historically underrepresented backgrounds to experience the academic and social life of the University.

“Coming in the door, I asked about the data from these programs,” she said in reference to Project Uplift and North Carolina Renaissance, a program for rising high school juniors.

Clayton said her office found that of the prospective students who attended Project Uplift in spring 2012 and applied to the University that fall, 61 percent were admitted for the first decision cycle.

“That gives us an indication of the integral nature of these outreach programs to admissions at Carolina,” she said. Clayton said this exposes black males to UNC while encouraging them to enroll.

Programs like Project Uplift help, to be sure. But the problems with advising that befall many students on campus can be especially pernicious with students who are already struggling to graduate. Advisers need to be more accessible and graduation requirements clearer.

Clayton also complimented the work of Carolina MALES (Men Advocating for Learning, Empowerment and Success), an organization started last year to find solutions to combat the issue of minority male student retention.

“They’ve invited me to come to (a meeting), and I shared time and talked to them. We had a lively discussion and I am impressed.”

Clayton said she is pleased with the work the organization has done, adding that its efforts are more effective when students are able to engage with their peers, much like what makes Project Uplift work.

“To see those young men concerned about the success of minority males is moving,” she said.

When looking toward the future, Clayton said she wants to continue the data-driven approach that the office has taken so far.

“It really allows us to look at differentiated student success,” she said.

But with regards to helping students succeed, Clayton doesn’t see any limits.

“Whether it is (helping) first-generation, transfer or minority male students, it’s something that we are pleased to be a part of.”

Trey Mangum is a member of the editorial board.