Summary: This report examines how the U.S. Naval Academy has been treating women and minorities. Performance indicators show that women have not fared as well as men with regard to class standings; academic, physical education, and military grades; outcomes of the conduct and honor systems; and attrition rates. Minority students have not fared as well as white students on these same indicators. In addition, a GAO survey of midshipmen revealed perceptions that women and minorities generally received treatment equal to that of men and whites. However, a higher percentage of men than women perceived that women were treated better, and a higher percentage of women than men perceived that they were treated worse. The situation was similar with minorities. Although the Academy has taken a number of steps to better address the assimilation of women and minorities, it does not have a comprehensive database to analyze student performance indicators to identify significant gender or racial disparities. The Academy has not documented the implementation of earlier equal opportunity recommendations.
