Higher education administrators and scholars alike know that the direction within academic institutions permeates form the top downward. Thus, if the boards of trustees and chief academic officers at these institutions "were to commit themselves to equal opportunity and direct their underlings to carry out their directives, minority access would improve as well" (Wilson, The Black Community in the e1980s, p.339). Because Civil Rights enforcement became essentially non-existent in the 1980s, institutions view this relaxed mood of the federal government as an endorsement of its non-commitment to equal access and opportunity for minorities. Orfield and Paul (1988) characterize this scenario perfectly by stating that "where there is no commitment there can be only token response or none at all" (p.61). In addressing the need for minority student retention and access, one solution lies outside of national legislation and policy-making. If diversity is truly one of the goals of higher education, then the need for change should first be realized by these institutions. We can legislate actions, but we cannot legislate attitudes and commitments. It is the attitude and commitment of institutions that need to be changed. Most institutions have had affirmative action and equal opportunity policies for more than twenty years; and now they are trying to take these programs away.Very basic issues still need to be addressed, and indeed some new policy-making may be appropriate. In the meantime, much can be done to improve the access and retention of minorities in higher education. "Colleges and universities can begin by strengthening their linkages with elementary and secondary schools in inner-city areas, where the greatest minority populations reside" (Wilson, The Black Community in the 1980s, p.28). Atwell (1988) points out that higher education institutions are obligated t o work with these schools, not to rescue the students or share gr...
