The number of minority students applying to the University has declined significantly this year, causing a drop in the number of minority students to be enrolled for the 2005-06 school year. But no one knows why.

“The total number of applications that the University received across the board was down 14 percent this year,” said Associate Provost Keith Marshall. “That number includes students of color.”

Because a number of students have not yet committed to attending the University, exact figures regarding the drop in minority enrollment are not available, Marshall said.

This drop in minority enrollment is the direct result of a number of factors, but is also part of a national trend, said Rolando Romero, associate professor in the Latino/Latina Studies program.

“It seems to be happening at different universities around the nation,” Romero said.

“Our best guess is that (minority student enrollment) is down because of a number of complex issues; there’s not any one clear-cut issue,” said Ruth Watkins, associate provost.

Marshall, although unable to cite a specific reason for the enrollment drop, did say that an increase in the number of essay questions in the application process, a tuition increase and an increase in competition from other schools could have affected enrollment.

“Chicago is recruited from very intensely across the country,” he said.

Marshall also said that the mailing of acceptance and financial aid letters was slower this year.

The Office of Admissions and Records is taking great strides to make sure that this type of mistake doesn’t happen again, he said.

“The University is doing a variety of things to increase the yield for the upcoming year,” Marshall said.

The decline in minority enrollment is harmful to the University as a whole, said Michael Jeffries, associate dean of students and director of Minority Student Affairs.

“All the students at this university will be affected by the decline because there’s not as great an opportunity for the exchange of ideas and experiences,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said that the decline would also impact some of the minority groups on campus and the ability of some people to share experiences, feelings and problems with others, he said.

“We have to give the assurances that people here on the campus will receive support and have people to empathize with them,” Jeffries said.

Evelyn Hernandez, director of events for the Association for Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), agreed with Jeffries.

“By having less minority students here, everyone will be negatively affected, either directly or indirectly,” she said. “Without the exposure to other cultures, there’s no sense of the real world (at the University) – it’s not multi-cultural any more. The diversity and valuable experiences that students get decreases.”

Hernandez said ALPFA, a group that allows students to mingle with professionals in various fields, work on their resumes and build and expand networks with professionals, will be affected by the enrollment decrease. She said she feels that the decrease in minority enrollment will make it harder to attract a variety of students.

“There really isn’t anything we can do to increase the enrollment numbers,” she said. “We’ll just have to keep doing what we’re doing to attract members.”

Marshall said that the University implemented a variety of programs to try and increase the number of minority applications for the 2005-06 school year.

“In admission and records, there are two things you can do: increase the number of applications or increase the yield,” Marshall said. “We’re doing a variety of things to increase the yield of students of color.”

In addition to the President’s Award Program, peer recruitment programs and the Experience Illinois program – which has been in effect for several years – the OAR is implementing additional programs to reach out to students with minority backgrounds.

Marshall said these programs include an additional President’s Award Program Reception, which was held in Chicago earlier this month. Minority student receptions, during which students with minority backgrounds are introduced to the Office of Minority Student Affairs and are provided with assistance with the next steps of the enrollment process, are also being introduced this year.

Current University students were asked to make personal phone calls to students with minority backgrounds. Approximately 1,200 minority students were called during the eight telethons held this year, Marshall said.

An increased number of merit scholarships, which are available to high-ability President’s Award Program students, were also introduced in the hopes that the additional financial aid will attract students.

“Our goal is to increase minority enrollment and get it back up to where it was,” Marshall said. “2003 was a record year in terms of number of minority students enrolled. It may take a while to get back up to the 600 (minority students in the freshman class) level (in 2003), but the goal is to get up to 500 and then back to the level of the record year.”