2008 Woodie Awards
2005-06 Diversity Report released
Chelsea Eakin
Issue date: 2/9/07 Section: News & Features
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In December the Office of the President and the Diversity Concerns Group released its annual Diversity Report for 2005-06. The report has a different format from those of previous years as to make it more readable. Instead of thoroughly reviewing all diversity initiatives, it touches on areas of accomplishment and continuing concern.
The report highlights that the class of 2010, with 19 percent of the class from ALANA (African-Latino-Asian-Native American) backgrounds, is the most diverse the College has seen in terms of ALANA. Also, for the first time admissions began tracking first-generation college students in a systematic way. In total, 12 percent of the class is enrolled from families in which they were the first to attend a four-year college.
"This jump didn't just happen," Associate Director of Admissions and Multicultural Enrollment Denise Walden said. "It looks like it took a jump in one year, but this was the result of three years worth of work-the counselors did a lot of more personalized attention, more specific high school visits to areas not gone to before, and new initiatives."
Two years ago Admissions created the ALANA Task Force to oversee the planning of ALANA recruitment events, mailing, and school visits. "It was something that [President William D. Adams] proposed to help us increase our efforts in terms of recruiting and improving retention of ALANA students on campus," Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs and Chair of the Diversity Concerns Group Sammie Robinson said.
One of the new initiatives began three years ago was a visit by high school guidance counselors to the campus to learn more about the College and take information back to their students. Another initiative was a bus-in program, in which high school students from the Boston area were bused to the College for a weekend visit. "It doesn't sound like anything special but it actually really is," Walden said. "The personalized attention, the personalized approach, building the relationships took three years to get what we got this past year."
The report highlights that the class of 2010, with 19 percent of the class from ALANA (African-Latino-Asian-Native American) backgrounds, is the most diverse the College has seen in terms of ALANA. Also, for the first time admissions began tracking first-generation college students in a systematic way. In total, 12 percent of the class is enrolled from families in which they were the first to attend a four-year college.
"This jump didn't just happen," Associate Director of Admissions and Multicultural Enrollment Denise Walden said. "It looks like it took a jump in one year, but this was the result of three years worth of work-the counselors did a lot of more personalized attention, more specific high school visits to areas not gone to before, and new initiatives."
Two years ago Admissions created the ALANA Task Force to oversee the planning of ALANA recruitment events, mailing, and school visits. "It was something that [President William D. Adams] proposed to help us increase our efforts in terms of recruiting and improving retention of ALANA students on campus," Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs and Chair of the Diversity Concerns Group Sammie Robinson said.
One of the new initiatives began three years ago was a visit by high school guidance counselors to the campus to learn more about the College and take information back to their students. Another initiative was a bus-in program, in which high school students from the Boston area were bused to the College for a weekend visit. "It doesn't sound like anything special but it actually really is," Walden said. "The personalized attention, the personalized approach, building the relationships took three years to get what we got this past year."
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