University of Michigan reports record enrollment, but minorities decline

Marisa Schultz:

University of Michigan had a record-breaking year for freshman applications and overall enrollment, which topped 41,674 students for this fall, the university announced today.

Though the number of applications and admissions offers for underrepresented minority students topped last year, the freshman enrollment of African-American, Hispanic and Native-American students actually declined by 11.4 percent, or 69 students, to 535. Now underrepresented minorities -- the population the university has been trying to cultivate with ramped up outreach efforts since voters passed Proposal 2 in 2006 than bans consideration of race in admissions -- comprise 9.1 percent of the freshman class (excluding international students) compared to 10.4 percent last year.
"We work hard every day to build the best possible freshman class each year, and this year is no exception," said Ted Spencer, U-M associate vice provost and executive director of undergraduate admissions. "Our incoming class is exceptional in all ways, although we have experienced a notable loss in some key elements of diversity.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at October 15, 2009 2:17 AM
Subscribe to this site via RSS/Atom: Newsletter signup | Send us your ideas