CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) _ College of Charleston President Glenn McConnell is laying out a plan to increase diversity at the school.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports that the former state senator and lieutenant governor said Sunday that the school, where only 6 percent of undergraduates are black, is committed to the goal. The population of South Carolina is about 28 percent black.
“While we are not yet where we need to be, we are committed to getting there,” McConnell told a crowd of about 120 people attending a diversity conference at the college Sunday.
McConnell resigned as lieutenant governor to become the president of the college earlier this year. He says part of the plan is for the college to work with guidance counselors to encourage students to apply who might not otherwise do so.
The college is also developing a plan to automatically admit students from Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school classes. The program is expected to start in the fall of 2016 and could also include high school students from three or four other counties.
The college’s School of Education, Health, and Human Performance also on Sunday officially launched the Floyd Breeland Scholarship for minority males studying to become teachers.
Breeland is a former state lawmaker who now works at the college in a recruitment program to increase the number of black, male teachers.
“It’s wonderful to see the emphasis on diversity … and what we all can do to make sure that all children reach their potential,” Breeland said.
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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com
