Here’s a spin on changing numbers how about adding
multiracial to the equation. Beginning last year, the Department of Education
has required colleges and universities to comply with a federal edict to
collect more information of students regarding multiracial identity. Students
now have the option to select more than one type of race or ethnicity
identification. Consequently, it has become easier for students to identify as
multiracial and the number of multiracial applicants has increased
significantly. To the extent that institutions are dealing with issues such as whom
are they more inclined to accept to diversify their campus. So in terms of
adding diversity, which student is more preferable, the student that is applying
as a black and Latino or the student applying as white and Vietnamese?
Other issues that have risen are, would the growth of
multiracial applicants assist in dissolving affirmative action? Which for one
reason was created to help people of color enter institutions of higher
education that have historically discriminated against them. For example, a
student with one black parent and one white parent is considered to be more
affluent than the student with two black parents, so colleges could be more
inclined to admit the multiracial student because he or she would need less
financial aid, but still be abiding by affirmative action guidelines. There are
many more questions still to be answered such as how do institutions include
multiracial students, but to the extent of not excluding other disadvantaged groups
for establishing an egalitarian society? And, should students be limited to
checking the box of their parents’ ethnicity or can they extend it to their
grandparents? Meanwhile, admissions directors need to be on the look out for
those applicants who increase their status of one ethnicity to multiple
ethnicities just for sake of college acceptance.
Some applicants abuse the resources available to them such
as a high school college counselor writing an essay for them; however, the
freedom to select more than one race is up to the student. For applicants whose
test scores and AP courses seem very similar, the decision may come down to the
ethnicity of an applicant regarding who will be admitted. Chances are the
admissions officers are going to admit the student of color before the white
student according to vice president of enrollment at Rice University in Houston,
Chris Munoz. Admissions officers note the value students of color bring to the
campus environment with their rich cultural heritage and various backgrounds—their
peers have an opportunity to gain a global perspective. Rice University, who ended
its segregation in the late 1960s, has been on a mission to comprise itself as a
diverse institution. Rice University has been offering the multiracial category
for sometime now, that in the past five years the number of applicants who
identify themselves as multiracial has gone from 8 to 564. The article noted
that nationally about 3 percent of Americans identify as mixed-race.
Ten years ago at Emory University in Atlanta, students did
not have the option to select more than one ethnicity, so for a student who is
African American and white or a student who is Latino and African American the
admissions office had no choice but to consider the student black. Now, students
can feel comfortable to include both ethnicities. Furthermore, high school
college counselors advise students to check multiple boxes if they are not
sure what to put down if they are of mixed race. What’s more, is currently
there is no standard definition in higher education of what it means to be mixed
race. I’m sure this is just the beginning of multi-complex issue.
Thank you for bringing this issue to light. I'm thinking back to my college enrollment processes and trying to remember if I was allowed to check more than one box. With a paper-pencil application (as were in my day), despite any sort of instruction stating "Please only check one," students would have the option to check as many boxes as they wished. Perhaps that posed some difficulty for the statistical staff who were given the task of keeping track of the "diversity" of applicants. Where I see the "please check only one" becoming a very relevant problem is with online applications. If the system won't allow the applicant to proceed with the application process until they choose one ethnicity, this is discriminatory without a doubt.
ReplyDeleteThe question I have about the article you stated above is this: Are these institutions truly using "racial identity" as part of the criteria for accepting students into their university? You stated that of two students with equal test scores, one of color and one Caucasian, administrators at particular universities would admit the student of color BEFORE the Caucasian student. Ok, so far that is all ok with me. However, does that now mean that the Caucasian student is later admitted as well or not accepted at all?
I'm a strong proponent of social justice and increasing diversity on campus, but I don't believe it is ethical to accept one student and reject one student who have identical applications based on ethnicity alone. No matter which student would be accepted in this case, the criteria for selection is discriminatory.
Kylie R.
I appreciate this movement toward allowing individuals to select and identify with more than one race. I believe the more inclusive we can become, the better. However, I also agree with the points Kylie made in her comment. Is this information used in the application process to either admit or deny a student? A blog I previously wrote about the inclusion of a GLBT question on Elmhurst's admissions application brings up some of the same questions or hesitations. If a student is asked to disclose if they identify with the GLBT community on their application, will this somehow effect their admission's decision? Overall, I think the movement toward being more inclusive is needed. We must be careful along the way to be sure our intentions are pure and that students will not be hurt or penalized for disclosure of personal information.
ReplyDelete