HARRISBURG -- Several state representatives questioned Penn State's efforts to combat acts of racism and to enroll minority students at yesterday's State House Appropriations Committee meeting.

Rep. LeAnna Washington, D-Philadelphia, said the university needs to take a firmer stance on students committing acts of racism, and officials should not be afraid to use expulsion as an example to students.

Penn State President Graham Spanier said the university already has a set of educational sanctions, including expulsion, in place to punish students who commit acts of racism.

"Just because we have a set of rules and initiatives in place does not necessarily mean all student acts of racism will stop," he said.

Efforts to improve the campus racial climate need to start early because new students need to learn to adapt to a diverse student body, Spanier added.

"The biggest challenge we face will always be to get rid of the biases that come with an individual student's upbringing," he said.

After the meeting, Spanier said the recent acts of racism on campus are isolated incidents.

"On any given day, one of our 80,000 students is going to do something stupid," he said. "It doesn't by any means reflect the general action of the university or its students."

Penn State University Police are still investigating a Feb. 17 incident in which an unknown man shouted racial slurs from a dorm room window at Black Caucus President Ed Smith.

On Friday, Black Caucus issued a list of 11 demands it says will improve the racial climate at Penn State.

The university responded Monday by saying all but two of the group's demands were either already in place, were not feasible or would be implemented only if the change could affect all student groups.

Black Caucus updated its Web site yesterday to include a response to the university, including a more detailed plan for its list. However, a representative from the group said that members would no longer comment on the issue.

Spanier also discussed minority enrollment with representatives.

Rep. Jake Wheatley, Jr., D-Allegheny, said he wanted to know the enrollment of minority students, as well as their graduation rate.

Spanier said 12 percent of Penn State students are from minority backgrounds, which he said is about even with the Pennsylvania's current minority population.

"Majority students currently have a 10 percent higher graduation rate than minority students," he added. "This is something that we are confident will even out in the near future."

Spanier also said there has been an 8 percent increase in minority student enrollment this year, as well as an increase in minority faculty and staff members.