Before going to press, reporters at The Tufts Daily searched for more than one student of color to quote in an article on falling African-American enrollment. They never found their second quote.
This could be because there are 52 African-American students in the freshman class. FIFTY-TWO.
Upon hearing this, my African-American friends and white friends, were outraged. "Why" many queried, "was this article being published now, two months after the start of school?" Suddenly the perception of Tufts being "diverse" seemed dead wrong.
Though Tufts is an exemplar of global diversity, as of late, it appears that national diversity is under-represented. A brochure profiling the class of 2010 shows that 25 percent are "students of color," yet only 5 percent are African-American. Other universities, such as Stanford, Princeton, Harvard and Amherst, all have 9 percent or more African-Americans in their 2010 classes.
Not only should this current statistic be significant to all freshmen, but it undermines Tufts' notable history on equal rights. Though the exact date is unrecorded, Tufts accepted African-American students long before it was common practice to do so. As recorded in Tufts' online archives, in 1910, W.E.B DuBois stated that Tufts was an institution that had "sent forth Negro graduates of power and efficiency..." Now, nearly 100 years later, the numbers seem to reflect a disconnect between Tufts' history and where we should be in 2006.
According to The Tufts Daily, the same number of African-American students were accepted this year as in 2005, but fewer chose to matriculate. Several reasons for this come to mind; one is money. Undeniably, resources play a large roll in recruitment, especially for schools that do not have the monetary support to be "need blind" in admissions. But Tufts' effort to award grants and scholarships should be expanded.
Another point of contemplation could be the small number of African-American faculty members at Tufts. Several students I spoke with also cited the number of African-American-related courses as a point of concern. Though Tufts offers African-American studies as a minor, this field of study should become more central to the curriculum. Not only would this encourage more diverse students to apply to Tufts, but it would enhance study for all students.
Over Sunday brunch, one freshman, Marie Cole, from Los Angeles, Calif., expressed surprise at the lack of African-Americans in her class. Cole, who chose Tufts because of "its welcoming atmosphere and academic rigor," noted that she was one of two African-Americans on her hall.
Cole believes that more racial diversity is essential: "The makeup of the student body affects everyone, white and black. One idea of diversity is attracting people from different coasts and states, but racial composition should also be acknowledged."
To Tufts' credit, recruiting efforts for African-Americans are being given greater emphasis. This change has been spearheaded by individuals such as Dean of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg, who helped create another staff position for student of color recruitment. In addition, Dean of Admissions Lee Coffin hopes to visit more urban high schools, disseminating information about Tufts. Hopefully, this new direction will be successful.
However, the effort should not stop here. Focusing on urban areas is only part of the equation. For example, Tufts should recruit students of color in rural America. Southern outreach must also be made a priority, particularly in areas such as Mississippi and Alabama, which have 37 percent and 26 percent African-American populations, respectively. Currently, there are no freshmen from Mississippi and one from Alabama.
This type of recruitment is a challenge, requiring resources and a strong pitch, a pitch made to students who have likely never heard of Tufts or been to New England. But this diversity would add immeasurably to Tufts, giving it more dimensions, both racially and culturally.
In a phone interview, freshman Ashley Calhoun from Detroit, Mich. stated that she was "shocked" by the small number of African-American freshmen.
"Then," she said, "I began to wonder if Latino students were also underrepresented."
Though saddened by the numbers, Calhoun was also optimistic, stating, "I believe Tufts will make it a priority to act." From examining Sternberg's and Coffin's efforts, hopefully this is the case.
For only when this imbalance is reconciled - starting with the number of African-Americans in the next entering class - will Tufts match up to its reputation as being one of the nation's best universities. Currently, there is work to be done. The number 52 speaks for itself.
Paula Kaufman is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.
