Educators say that one reason for the lack of interest in academia among minorities, beyond the small number of minority faculty members, is the attraction of higher paying professions, such as medicine, law and business.

"There are some very practical problems with academia as a career. [Minorities] are not as familiar with academic careers, and their parents see straighter lines of success in professions," Harrison says.

Blackman notes that on her recruiting trips, the main question she must answer is why talented minority students, who are much sought after, should pass up a lucrative career for the academic life.

"Many of the most talented students are now focused solely on the professions, but we are trying to convince them that academia is one of their opotions for being successful," Blackman says.

But critics of the University's affirmative action programs say that Harvard will not be really successful in attracting minority graduate students until it becomes more receptive as a community toward minorities.

In order to lure minority undergraduates to academia, Harrison says that "you need a curriculum and a faculty here working in areas that minority undergraduates are likely to find exciting." And right now, he says, Harvard is not really competitive with the other professions because minority students are not getting the right signals. Minority Enrollment at Harvard

(percentage of the student body within each school)

  Black  Asian  Native American  Hispanic Harvard-Radcliffe College  7%  10%  .4%  5% GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES  2%  3%  .3%  2% Divinity School  5%  1%  .2%  2% Medical School  9%  11%  6%  6% Dental School  3%  25%  0%  3% School of Public Health  3%  5%  0%  2% Law School  9%  3%  6%  5% School of Design  7%  8%  0%  5% School of Education  4%  2%  2%  5% Kennedy School of Government  3%  4.2%  .6%  3.1% Business School  5%  2%  0%  3% Extension  2%  2%  0%  .6% Total  5%  6%  .4%  4%