As the undergraduate enrollment grows in size, Stevens struggles to meet diversity goals

As undergraduate enrollment increased by 6.6% this past year, the diversity of the undergraduate student body remained somewhat the same.

In the annual report on the 10-year strategic plan released last week by President Nariman Farvardin, Stevens has several priorities to promote diversity in the undergraduate body. These goals include increasing the percentage of women among all undergraduates to 35% by Fall 2022, compared to 25% in Fall 2011; increasing the percentage of domestic out-of-state undergraduate students to 48% by Fall 2022, compared to 32% in Fall 2011; and increasing the percentage of international students to 8% by Fall 2022, compared to 5% in Fall 2011.

Despite these ambitious goals, Stevens has made relatively little progress in accomplishing them.

Since the inception of the 10-year strategic plan, the percentage of women undergraduates has hovered at 28% and, as of Fall 2019, is at 29%. The percentage of domestic out-of-state undergraduates has remained unchanged for seven years and is at 38%.

The percentage of international students has been on a steady decline since the inception of the plan. At the start of the plan, the undergraduate enrollment was at 5% international students. As of Fall 2019, it is at 2.9%.

The most progress has been made on increasing the percentage of underrepresented minorities. The goal is to have at least 15% underrepresented minorities in the undergraduate student body and, as of Fall 2019, there is 14.2%.

It is worth noting that, while the percentages of identity groups have remained steady, the number of people in each identity group has increased while Stevens has grown in undergraduate enrollment.

A number of initiatives, including Stevens Accessing Careers in Engineering and Science (ACES), the Clark Scholars program, and iSTEM@Stevens, have contributed to the progress achieved in Fall 2019. “A close partnership continues between the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the academic enterprise,” writes Stevens in the report on what is being done to increase diversity, “to develop enrollment goals on a per program basis based on student demand, strategic direction, and resources. In areas where progress, or insufficient progress, has been made, careful analysis and strategic redirection is necessary.”