University sees decline in minorities - The Daily Illini - News: "Because a number of students have not yet committed to attending the University, exact figures regarding the drop in minority enrollment are not available, Marshall said.

This drop in minority enrollment is the direct result of a number of factors, but is also part of a national trend, said Rolando Romero, associate professor in the Latino/Latina Studies program.

'It seems to be happening at different universities around the nation,' Romero said.

'Our best guess is that (minority student enrollment) is down because of a number of complex issues; there's not any one clear-cut issue,' said Ruth Watkins, associate provost.

Marshall, although unable to cite a specific reason for the enrollment drop, did say that an increase in the number of essay questions in the application process, a tuition increase and an increase in competition from other schools could have affected enrollment. "