UPDATE: DSU boosts in HBCU ranking, new report finds

of historically black colleges and universities — otherwise known as h-b-c-u’s. it’s moved from a tie for its twenty-first place finish overall last year — to a record-high public school ranking. as 47 a-b-c’s lili zheng reports — school officials are crediting the students. i didn’t want to go to a place where it’s predominantly white and be one of the only few black people there. i’ve done that before with high schools and stuff, and i did not like it track 1 demetrius hall says — he plans to graduate from delaware state university. the sophomore mass communications major — has no plans of transferring. it’s retention like this — university officials say has helped the school move seven spots up the u-s news and world report’s annual rankings of historically black college and universities — or h-b-c-u’s. we pride ourselves on our diversity, and we pride ourselves in our heritage and our legacy of being an institution that started to serve an underserved population track 2 d-s-u president doctor harry williams — says they’re pleased with the report. d-s-u now ranks 14th overall — but fourth among top ranking public h-b-c-u’s — a record-high for the university. in terms of ranking criteria — retention and graduation rates matter most — carrying 27 percent of the weight. according to doctor williams — last year’s retention rate of 72 percent was a school record. it’s partnerships — he says — helping students financially that are keeping them in school. one particular partner is the bill and melinda gates foundation, which they identify delaware state university as an institution that really took pride in working with students from first generation, low income background and supporting those students through that process track 3 students 47 a-b-c spoke to say they’re attracted to the diversity that comes with attending an h-b-c-u. 75 percent of the student body at d-s-u is african american — fourteen percent is white — and 11 percent hispanic. the people here are just kind and genuine and with a lot of the racism that’s been going around the country…when i come here, i just don’t see that. i mean, everybody loves everybody no matter what nationality you are. everybody loves each other track 4 for hall — d-s-u is home. academically i feel like i’m getting what i’m in debt for track 5 lili zheng, 47 a-b-c according to doctor williams — the goal is have an eighty-percent retention rate by the year 20-20. he also says — an increase in alumni donations have helped boost d-s-u’s ranks on this report. for a full list of the top h-b-c-u colleges — be sure to find this story on our website — 47 a-b-c dot com. meanwhile — u-m-e-s has moved up eight spots in this year’s report. the