Tufts University Going Backwards on Student Body Diversity

Tufts University seems to be going backwards on student body diversity. Last year, 90 African-American applicants accepted an admissions offer from Tufts. This year, the number is 52, meaning that African-American student enrollment in Tufts freshman class decreased by 42 percent. The University is confronting the decline like a skilled politician.

First, theres masking of the problem: "Americans of color represent 25 percent of the new class," says Dean Lee Coffin.

Then, theres denial and diversion of responsibility: "We had conversations this spring with students who said, You are absolutely our first choice, but fill-in-the-blank institution offered $1,000 or $2,000 more," according to Coffin.

Finally, theres damage control. Tufts will add a staff member for minority student recruitment.

But most upsetting is Tufts denial of responsibility. Tufts claims its having trouble this year with low-income and minority recruitment, because of competition from Ivy League schools like Princeton, Harvard, and Columbia that have made generous financial aid offers. What? Tufts cant match those offers?

Higher Ed Watch hates to break it to Tufts, but Ivy League competition has always been present for the University. Every year Tufts vies for the same students as other top-tier colleges. Has Tufts suddenly lost the funding to offer competitive financial packages? According to the Boston Business Journal, Tufts endowment is thriving. In fact, Tuft's endowment grew 34 percent last year to $1.2 billion. Not only did Tufts break the billion-dollar barrier for the first time, its endowment fund growth outpaced all other Massachusetts universities, including Harvard.

President Lawrence Bacow described Tufts fundraising last year as an "extraordinary success" that raised "well over $200 million in cash."

Heres a challenge for President Bacow: Maybe Tufts should dedicate more of its growing institutional resources to financial aid for low-income and minority students as well as hiring one new staff member for minority student recruitment. If Bacow wont do it, maybe Tufts alumni should start earmarking their contributions. There is an easy solution to raising African-American enrollment above 4 percent, and it doesnt involve pointing fingers.