Brown University, an Ivy League school in Providence, Rhode Island, has recently announced a new set of admissions initiatives aimed at recruiting and retaining a diverse student body.
The announcement was released on December 4 by Provost Francis J. Doyle III and Patricia Poitevien, interim vice president for institutional equity and diversity.
“In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that greatly limited any consideration of race in admission decisions, Brown remains committed to complying with the law while fostering a diverse and inclusive community as integral to our mission of academic excellence,” wrote Dr. Doyle and Dr. Poitevien. “With a focus on recruitment, matriculation, and retention of a diverse community of students, the university has developed a set of concrete actions focused on ensuring a robust pool of highly qualified diverse students apply to Brown and, once admitted, have access to the resources they need to enroll.”
Effective immediately, Brown University administrators have pledged to work together on several key initiatives. These include enhancing funding for matching financial aid rewards, increasing participation with QuestBridge, creating five new regionally based admissions positions, creating new targeted marketing campaigns, offering new admissions programs for high school and community-based guidance counselors, expanding alumni networks, and enhancing the travel grant program for prospective and admitted low-income students.
The admissions initiatives will be overseen by the Office of College Admission, Alumni Relations, the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, the Office of General Counsel, and the Office of University Communications. The Division of Advancement will develop various philanthropic campaigns to fund the Ivy League school’s new plans.
“This will be a years-long effort as the University and other institutions continue to contend with an evolving admissions environment nationwide,” wrote Dr. Doyle and Dr. Poitevien. “Year over year, we will evaluate our efforts to determine how the entire admission pipeline — including recruitment, selection, and yield — results in the enrollment of students who can make the strongest contribution to Brown’s academic mission by fostering an environment of diversity and inclusion. We are committed to ensuring that prospective students and their families, as well as those who support them, feel confident in Brown’s commitment to providing a diverse and inclusive environment that is welcoming to students from all backgrounds.”
