There has been a decrease in the percentage of Black students admitted to Harvard University’s freshman class, the first cohort accepted following a Supreme Court decision that invalidated affirmative action in college admissions. This ruling has had varying effects on universities across the nation, with some reporting significant shifts in the diversity of their student populations and others experiencing minimal changes.
Harvard’s recent data revealed that 14% of incoming students identified as Black, marking a 4% decrease from the previous class. Latino representation increased by 2% to 16%, while the percentage of Asian-American students remained steady at 37%. William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, affirmed the university’s commitment to facilitating a diverse student body while complying with legal regulations.
Jeannie Park, a board member of the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard, expressed concerns about the decline in students of color, urging the university to explore alternative strategies to promote inclusivity. Richard Kahlenberg from the Progressive Policy Institute questioned Harvard’s methods of achieving racial diversity post the affirmative action ruling.
The trend at Harvard is reflective of enrollment changes seen in other institutions. For instance, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology observed a decrease in Black student enrollment from 15% to 5%. Amherst College and Tufts University also experienced declines in the percentage of Black students in their incoming classes. Similarly, the University of North Carolina reported drops in enrollment among Black, Hispanic, and Native American students.
Factors contributing to the composition of freshman classes include the cessation of affirmative action, adjustments to standardized test requirements by some colleges, and challenges stemming from the federal government’s implementation of a new financial aid form. The repercussions of these changes on student demographics remain a topic of ongoing discussion among experts.
