The Diversity Disparity: Whom Do You Stand Beside?

Jamal McMillan, Featured Writer

Our beloved Pleasantville Campus here at Pace University is, to say the least, in a state of disarray.

New construction as part of the Master Plan project has detrimentally altered travel through and around campus, along with rendering many prime student event spaces unavailable. We tolerate this intrusion, however, on the promise that the result of our sacrifice will be a beautiful, modern new campus for all to be proud.

While I believe the administration should be commended for their ambitious and overdue undertaking, one is left to wonder whether physical improvement is seen as the only area in need of urgent revitalization. With minority enrollment perpetually suffering, does the University intend to leave students of color out of their vision for the future?

Let us travel backwards a few years and analyze some simple statistics: In 2009, the total freshmen enrollment at the Pleasantville campus was 539 students. Of these students, 80 were black – 53 females, and just 27 males.

If we focus on the black male students, and travel forward through four years of lifelong memories and tireless nights, we find that only 55 percent of these men have reached their senior year, compared to 65.5 percent of the general population.

How could this one distinct group have such a sharply reduced rate of retention? Perhaps it is connected to what, or more specifically – who, is missing from the University administration.

In my time at Pace, I have had the pleasure of acquainting myself with the only two black student relations administrators on campus, but, I have never taken a course with a black professor. In fact, I would confidently wager that neither have any of you.

The number of black faculty members is glaringly disproportionate to the remainder of the staff roster. One might reason that the absence of these relatable figures has had an unfavorable effect on the black student body. Introducing more faculty of color may initiate a transformation in the mentoring of minority students, helping improve overall retention and graduation rates.

In case you were feeling unaffected, it is important to note that the multicultural disparity is not limited to the black community here at Pace. The accompanying chart shows the total Hispanic and Asian enrollment in the freshman classes of 2011 and 2012.

One would find it frustratingly difficult to locate a handful of professors and faculty members of either ethnicity here at Pace.

These numbers should be disturbing to the entire Pace community for several reasons; this lack of diversity impedes the cultural education of the collective student body, hinders the dynamic and inviting programming that multicultural student organizations bring to our campus, and detracts future students from attending Pace.

If these atrocious admission and retention trends continue, coupled with unrealistic membership thresholds, many multicultural student organizations and Greek sororities/fraternities (primarily within the NPHC and NALFO councils) may cease to exist on this campus.

Devoid of these leaders and organizations creating growth opportunities, the future Pace experience may be little more than shiny new buildings.

My most fond memories at Pace University have been those shared amongst diverse groups of incredible minds, debating the moralities and realities of life. From these interactions, I have learned a great deal about cultures and customs around the world, and will appreciate this knowledge throughout my entire life.

The institution where I accumulated all of these great memories is now, however, slowly losing the diversity among its students that made the campus community exceptional.

Considering the swiftness of construction for the Master plan, I maintain hope that a “Multicultural Blueprint” to reimagine a more diverse student body is not far out of reach.