Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the ethnic representation of full-time faculty and the ethnic membership of the student body at 4-year universities in Texas. A second purpose was to ascertain the relationship of faculty diversity to student diversity with respect to student academic success. This descriptive analysis will provide universities an enhanced understanding of the importance of faculty representation to the overall academic and social attainment of ethnically diverse students, including rural White students. Similarly, insight will be provided regarding the importance of pursuing full-time faculty who are representative of the student body. Method: In this causal-comparative study, the ethnic representation of full-time faculty and the ethnic membership of the undergraduate student body at all Texas 4-year universities were determined for academic years 2002-2012. Additionally, student persistence rates by ethnicity were ascertained. Changes in faculty and in student diversity over this time period were examined along with changes in student persistence rates over time. Findings: Documented herein were statistically significant differences with regard to faculty rank (i.e., Assistant, Associate, and Full) and ethnicity (i.e., White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian) over the 2003 to 2011 academic period. The highest percentage of faculty members continues to be White, with Asian faculty having the next highest percentage. Additionally established were statistically significant differences among ethnicity (i.e., White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian) for undergraduate students during the 2000 through 2012 academic years. White students continued to constitute the largest ethnic group of undergraduate students, with Asian students comprising the smallest percentage of undergraduate students. Differences in persistence rates of undergraduate students were present by ethnic membership for the 2000 and 2010 academic years. Asian undergraduate students had the highest persistence rates, followed closely by White students. Black students had the lowest persistence rates in this study. Undergraduate student diversity has significantly increased; however, their persistence rates have changed only minimally. Furthermore, faculty diversity has demonstrated minimal improvement over the nine years of data analyzed herein. Much more work needs to occur before equity exists in faculty and student diversity at Texas 4-year institutions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]