ASU has the highest percentage of minority students among Arizona universities, but it still has a lot of catching up to do.
More than 22 percent of ASU students are minorities this year, making it the school's most diverse student body thus far.
When the total increase in ASU enrollment is taken into account, the actual increase of minority students was half a percent.
"[Increased minority enrollment is] a combination of several factors," said James Rund, vice president of University Undergraduate Initiatives. "There's a more concerted effort on the part of the University to enroll the citizens of Arizona."
Rund attributes the growth to the changing demographics across the state, as well as the University's more than 200 outreach programs.
The number of freshmen minority students increased by 21 percent this year.
Overall, minority enrollment increased by 7.5 percent to 13,822 students.
At UA, 5 percent of the 37,000 students were minorities.
But Arizona schools are far behind some California institutions, including UCLA, where minority students made up more than half of the 32,400-student population.
USC reported that minority students made up 35 percent of its 32,000-student body in 2004.
Asian Americans had the highest enrollment numbers among minorities at both California schools, with almost 12,000 at UCLA and more than 6,600 at USC.
At ASU, however, Hispanics make up the largest minority group, with more than 7,200 enrolled, but the highest increase this year was in Native-American students.
More than 1,400 Native Americans now attend ASU, a 16 percent increase from last year's figures.
"Our top priority as a university is to enroll the students of the state," Rund said. "As the demographics of the state change, so will our enrollment at ASU."
Asian Americans make up 2,900 students and African Americans make up almost 2,200.
These numbers reflect Arizona's demographics, with Hispanics being the fastest growing population in the state.
Rund said ASU doesn't reach out to any one demographic over others.
Instead, it tries to focus on students who are unlikely to continue their education.
"Our outreach programs are focused at first-generation students, which are students from all backgrounds," Rund said.
Ira Jackson, ASU Foundation president and CEO, said ASU must be inclusive and responsible for the community if it is to become a New American University.
"We have to be a reflection of that community, and we have to ensure that every qualified individual can have access to pursue and fulfill their dreams."
Without outreach programs, Jackson said a number of students wouldn't pursue higher education.
"Unless we make a determined effort, there will be financial and other barriers that prevent talented young people from having access to higher education," Jackson said.
The number of freshmen whose parents earned less than $18,500 annually increased by 50 percent last year, he said.
If ASU doesn't try to reach different members of the community, no one else will, Jackson said.
"There are very few cities the size of Phoenix that have only one major university," Jackson said. "If we failed to be representative of that community, kids from those communities will not be served anywhere else, so they will be shut out."
Reach the reporter at beth.cochran@asu.edu.
