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Syracuse University saw an 18% decline in underrepresented minority student enrollment between 2013 to 2018, according to an April report. But a university official said that enrollment rates among underrepresented students have since increased. 

The report, conducted by an independent advisory panel to SU’s Board of Trustees and the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership and Social Innovation, compared enrollment rates across 10 institutions and focused on eight different categories, including underrepresented minority undergraduate and graduate students, female graduate students and international students. 

While the 2013-2018 data showed a decreasing trend in underrepresented student enrollment, SU’s minority student enrollment rates have increased over the past two years and are currently at an all time high, Maurice Harris, dean of admissions, said in a statement to The Daily Orange. 

“Syracuse University continues to be one of the more diverse institutions in comparison to our peers,” Harris said. “Much like overall enrollment can fluctuate year-to-year, so can the makeup of the student body.”

The report compares SU to nine peer institutions: Boston College, Cornell University, George Washington University, Lehigh University, Penn State University, University of Connecticut, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Michigan and The University of Texas at Austin. 

Of the 10 institutions, SU was the only one that saw a decline in underrepresented minority undergraduate students in the report. SU — as well as Boston College and Lehigh — also saw a decline in female graduate students. 

“Notably, the school experienced a steep and ongoing decline in (underrepresented minority) undergraduates during the period, falling from being the clear leader among its peers to the middle of the pack, while every other institution in our review saw an increase,” the report reads. 

“These data elevate important conversations about access, equity, revenue generation and institutional priorities moving forward,” the report states. 

Despite the declines, SU also showed progress in other key areas. Enrollment rates among international undergraduate and graduate students and underrepresented minority graduate students showed a positive trend, which the report defines as a 1-5% increase. Underrepresented minority leadership also trended positively, and female leadership increased by more than 6%. 

A report released last week showed that SU’s student population is 57% white, the sixth-highest rate among the peer institutions. But SU is one of the more diverse institutions among the group of peer institutions, with the highest proportion of international and Native American students and a high percentage of Black students.

Shannon Kirkpatrick | Presentation Director

Harris said that the admissions team is continuing to expand its reach to more prospective students through several partnerships including KIPP, Say Yes to Education, the Haudenosaunee Promise Scholarship, RaiseMe, Kessler Scholars, POSSE and Chicago Scholars.

The university also continues to make “robust” efforts to recruit students locally, nationally and internationally, Harris said.

Damon Williams, the chief catalyst for the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership and Social Innovation, said he and his team want SU to think about its diversity and inclusion response from a university-wide level.

Williams, who helped author the report, and his team highlighted 10 recommendations in the report to “drive change and transformation” at SU. Developing a campus-wide diversity, equity and inclusion plan should be the university’s priority, Williams said.

“We just felt like the university would benefit from that level of focused approach,” he said. “Getting a real solid plan to guide the university’s (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility) efforts was really, really important.”

Shannon Kirkpatrick | Presentation Director

Survey data shows that SU students question the university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Of the responses to the campus climate survey from the fall semester, 43% of students, 43% of staff and 37% of faculty said they are unsatisfied with the university’s climate.

The survey found that there is a substantial disconnect between the university’s commitments to diversity and inclusion and the campus community’s perspective on those commitments.

SU has announced plans to develop a task force to create SU’s strategic plan for equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion. The committee, composed of 31 students, faculty and staff members, will submit a plan to Chancellor Kent Syverud by June 1. 

Once the plan is developed, it’s crucial for the university to review the plan annually, Williams said. The university should also release a report when it is halfway through the plan and when the plan is complete, he said. 

“These recommendations were designed to further position Syracuse University as a strong leader and magnet for other diverse student groups,” the report states.

Published on April 5, 2021 at 12:05 am

Contact Mira: mlberenb@syr.edu