Enrollment by race/ethnicity across all Kansas Board of Regents institutions — including four-year universities and two-year colleges — for the 2014-15 academic year. Graph provided by the Kansas Board of Regents.

The percentage of white students enrolled at Kansas’ public postsecondary education institutions dropped from 68.4 percent in 2013-14 to 67 percent in 2014-15, according to the latest Kansas Board of Regents data.

While the percentage of minority students increased systemwide, significant differences remain in the percentages of certain minorities at four-year universities compared with community and technical colleges.

The Board of Regents heard and discussed highlights from the latest systemwide enrollment report during its March meeting Wednesday at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.

The most recent data, from the 2014-2015 academic year, includes enrollment broken down by race and ethnicity, full-time or part-time status, age, gender and residency status.

Overall, just under 250,000 students are enrolled in Kansas state, municipal, community and technical colleges, according to the data. That includes both full- and part-time students.

Unfortunately that’s down from the overall headcount in 2014 (252,421) and 2013 (258,949), said Cindy Farrier, Regents director of data, research and planning. However, she said, it’s reflective of the national trend, particularly post-Recession.

Looking to the future, Farrier said it was important to maintain a good balance in the “system portfolio,” remembering it’s full of different schools with different missions.

“Our institutions must focus on their mission and student success,” Farrier said. “And if they do, the enrollment picture should follow.”

Enrollment by race/ethnicity across all Kansas Board of Regents institutions — including four-year universities and two-year colleges — for the 2014-15 academic year. Graph provided by the Kansas Board of Regents.

Across the Regents system, the largest minority groups are Hispanic and black students.

The percentage of black students enrolled in higher education is larger than the percentage of black Kansas residents, while the percentage of Hispanic students remains smaller than the percentage of Hispanic Kansas residents.

In Kansas, 6.3 percent of residents are black, according to 2014 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to Regents data for the 2014-15 academic year, black students represent:

• 4.3 percent of state university enrollees.

• 9.4 percent of community college enrollees.

• 7.5 percent of technical college enrollees.

• 7 percent of enrollees across all of the state’s public postsecondary institutions.

Over the past five years, the percentage of black students systemwide has fluctuated between 6.7 and 7.3 percent, according to Regents data.

Hispanics make up 11.4 percent of Kansas residents, according to 2014 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to Regents data for the 2014-15 academic year, Hispanic students represent:

• 6.1 percent of state university enrollees.

• 9.7 percent of community college enrollees.

• 10.3 percent of technical college enrollees.

• 8.1 percent of enrollees across all of the state’s public postsecondary institutions.

Over the past five years, the percentage of Hispanic students systemwide has gone up every year. They made up 6.6 percent of students systemwide in 2010-11.

Multiracial students are another growing minority population in the Regents system.

Their share of statewide enrollees has increased each year for five years, starting with 1.2 percent in 2010-11 and reaching 2.4 percent in 2014-15, according to the Regents data for students identifying as two or more races.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2.8 percent of Kansans in 2014 were multiracial, defined as identifying themselves as two or more races.

Farrier said maintaining enrollment also involves addressing retention and graduation.

“You have to look at the demographics of your stop-outs,” she said, using a term for students who quit school either temporarily or permanently before earning a degree.

Low-income, first-generation and some minority students are among groups that struggle, she said. She said the Regents are working to address some “barriers,” including transfer courses.

Fort Hays State University President Mirta Martin said barriers for students there include cultural perceptions that prevent some students — particularly men — from asking for help until it’s too late. She said other students may work 40 hours a week to support their families, when often those are the students that really need to work less and focus on academics.

Wichita State University sees local students quit because of family or economic problems but is trying to do more for them, President John Bardo said.

“There’s a lot of very complex issues that go in to trying to improve this,” he said. “We’re all worrying a lot about it, because those people are our future.”

How does KU minority enrollment compare?

Enrollment by race/ethnicity at Kansas University for the 2014-15 academic year. Graph provided by the Kansas Board of Regents.

The percentages of Hispanic, black and multiracial students enrolled at Kansas University has increased every year for the past five years, according to Kansas Board of Regents data. In that time period, the percentage of white students has gone down every year, from 75.4 percent in 2010-11 to 70 percent in 2014-15.

Here is the breakdown of KU students by race/ethnicity for 2014-15, the most recent year of Regents data:

• 70 percent white

• 9.7 percent nonresident alien (foreign)

• 5.8 percent Hispanic

• 4.2 percent black

• 4.2 percent multiracial

• 3.8 percent Asian

• 1.6 percent unknown

• Less than 1 percent American Indian/Alaska Native

• Less than 1 percent Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander