In 2000, Jeb Bush, then governor of Florida, signed an executive order to end affirmative action in the Florida universities admissions process. As Bush is expected to announce his presidential bid later this spring, he is referencing this executive order, saying that it upheld conservative principles by ending race-based college admissions processes in Florida while also also helping minorities. Although Bush said in 2000 that this executive order represented a middle ground, as it ended race preferences in college admissions and state contracting, it sparked backlash from black lawmakers and students.

College Freshman who are Black

"We ended up having a system where there were more African American and Hispanic kids attending our university system than prior to the system that was discriminatory," he said. However, at Florida's top two universities, the University of Florida and Florida State University, minority enrollment has declined since Bush signed the executive action. While the number of black students at these top-two Florida Universities has declined, this number has increased in the state's lesser-known regional schools, which has less stringent admissions requirements.

College Freshman who are Hispanic

Yet at the these top-two Florida schools, many minority students still feel as if they will never e judged on merit, as classmates still believe they received admission based on affirmative-action policies.

Black vs. Hispanic Populations

College administrators now fear that prospective students who are black will not choose to attend their universities because they currently will not see many students who look like them.