REGIONAL BRIEFING

VIRGINIA

Va. Tech Tries to Boost Diversity

Virginia Tech plans to invest almost $1 million over the next five years to increase ethnic diversity on campus.

A report said the school will spend $899,000 to implement task force recommendations calling for more faculty, greater minority student recruitment efforts, outreach and curriculum changes. Last fall, Virginia Tech's black student enrollment was 4.6 percent, third lowest among the state's 15 four-year public universities, according to the State Council of Higher Education. Hispanic enrollment ranked in the bottom half.

Tech Provost Mark McNamee formed the task force in 2006, in response to protests over the announced departure of a black political science professor who received a negative tenure review.

The task force's plan calls for multiple faculty hires in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years to add minority professors and provide mentors to those already on the faculty.

Overall enrollment of blacks at Virginia Tech has declined since 2003, when the board of visitors voted to end affirmative action in hiring and student enrollment. The board quickly reversed the decision, but black freshman enrollment plummeted and has been slow to recover.

-- Associated Press

DISTRICT

Shootings Leave Two Men Dead

Two men were fatally shot early yesterday at separate locations in Southeast Washington, police said.

Gemel L. Williams, 27, of the 300 block of Parkland Place SE was found about 1:20 a.m. in the 500 block of Newcomb Street SE. The other man was found about 3 a.m. in the 3400 block of 22nd Street SE. His name was withheld until relatives could be notified. The shootings happened less than two miles apart, but there was no indication of a link.