An update on Fordham’s efforts to carry out the University’s action plan, Addressing Racism, Educating for Justice.
ENROLLMENT
GOAL: Develop Robust Admissions Strategies for Effective Recruitment of Students of Color to Fordham.
Undergraduate Applicant Pool Updates
Building on last year’s success in enrolling the largest and most diverse class of students in Fordham’s history, the Office of Undergraduate Admission is continuing its efforts to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in the entering class. Applications from students of color are up across all categories.
Our total applicant pool for early action, early decision, and regular decision for students who identify as Black has increased by 6% to 4,079 students. During notification for early action and early decision, offers of admission to Black students were also up 6% to 735 students. Applications for all three rounds for Hispanic-identifying students are up as well. Currently, that number stands at 8,993, an increase of 4%. Early action and early decision offers of admission for Hispanic students also increased by 7% to 1,973 students.
There has also been an increase in applications during EA, ED, and RD from students who identify as Asian. To date, these are up 11% to 6,867 students. Likewise, 1,843 Asian students have already been offered admission during early action and early decision, an increase of 19% from this time last year.
New Scholarship Opportunities
Fordham has expanded our National Recognition Scholarship eligibility. For the first time the scholarship is available for students who are National Indigenous Recognition Program designees. This program, sponsored by the College Board, is being added to our existing National African American and National Hispanic Recognition programs. Students admitted with this scholarship receive full tuition.
Programming and Events
The Office of Undergraduate Admission is offering programming throughout the admission cycle providing content specifically for students of color, as well as first-generation, local, and HEOP students. To provide continued access, most of the events are being held virtually. A combined 412 students and guests already participated in seven of these programs which were held in the fall. Additional programming is being planned for our admitted students this spring.
Professional Development
In October, the Enrollment Group held a DEI town hall featuring Rafael Zapata, chief diversity officer from the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer; Juan Carlos Matos, assistant vice president for student affairs for diversity and inclusion from the Office of Multicultural Affairs; and Corbin Wong, director of organizational development from the Department of Human Resources. Representatives from the offices of Academic Records, Enrollment Services, Enrollment Research, Enrollment Technology, Student Financial Services, and Undergraduate Admission participated. Additionally, Undergraduate Admission continued its engagement in DEI-related professional development opportunities through programs such as Linked-in Learning as well as the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Antiracist Education Institute.
Fordham News
HIRING
GOAL: Recruit and Retain a More Diverse Faculty, Administration, and Staff.
Mandatory Student Affairs Divisional Training Day for Staff
- December 3, 2021: Universal Design: Intersections of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Disability and Accessibility
- Presentation/Training from the NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities as the day’s keynote session
CURRICULUM
GOAL: Develop Curricular and Co-curricular Initiatives That Support the Imperative of Confronting Racism and Educating for Justice.
On January 27, Rafael Zapata, chief diversity officer, and Anne Fernald, Ph.D., special assistant to the provost for faculty development, convened the recipients of 2021-2022 Teaching Race Across the Curriculum (TRAC) Grants for a robust discussion on progress and challenges and provided ongoing support.
OMA completed training for the LGBTQ and Ally Network of Support and the Racial Solidarity Network cohorts for the fall, with the LGBTQ network wrapping up 2021 with over 1,000 community members that have participated since that program’s creation in Spring 2010. These two signature network programs invite students, faculty, and staff to engage in an interactive 5-hour workshop which has been offered in multiple formats during the fall: two days in person – 2.5 hours each, one 5-hour day in person, and one 5-hour day virtually. Participants are also added to a Blackboard organization with a variety of resources to supplement the workshop.
The spring Racial Solidarity Network has continued to be offered in February and anyone interested in joining this semester can click here to register. Participants can select to attend on either February 15 and 22, or February 16 and 23.
Fordham News
- Students GO! to the Bronx and Beyond Under a New Learning Model
- The Liberation of Music and Religion: Q&A with Theology Professor Rufus Burnett Jr.
CAMPUS LIFE
GOAL: Create a More Welcoming and Affirming Campus.
February 1 at 6 p.m.: the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer is co-sponsoring an event featuring journalist and creator of the 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and hosted by Fordham Law School, titled: Speaking Truth to Power: A Conversation with Nikole Hannah-Jones. Click here to register.
February 3 at 6 p.m., the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer is co-sponsoring an event hosted by the Department of African & African American Studies, featuring Tina Campt, Ph.D., Brown University, presenting her new book A Black Gaze: Artists Changing How We See. Click here to register.
February 9 (time TBD): the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer is co-sponsoring a virtual event featuring eminent philosopher and theologian Cornel West, Ph.D., Union Theological Seminary. The event is being hosted by the FCRH student organization ASILI: The Black Student Alliance. Specific details are forthcoming.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) cultural committees hosted a series of events for both LGBTQ History Month in October and Native American and Indigenous People’s History Month in November. Some of the events included the signature LGBTQ “Flags on the Lawn” program held at both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center, and the 5th Annual Native American Festival on November 20.
In celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, OMA held Masses and receptions at Rose Hill and Lincoln Center on December 10 in collaboration with Campus Ministry, Student Involvement at Lincoln Center, the Center for Community Engaged Learning, and the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer. While connecting with Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, both events were able to invite a mariachi band to provide music during the Mass in addition to assistance with interactive paper flower making during tabling the days before the event. If you are interested in learning more about Our Lady of Guadalupe’s significance and history, please view this video recorded by Juan Aguirre, Director of Mano a Mano.
The OMA slate of events for Martin Luther King Week 2022 (January 18 through 24) included a screening of King in the Wilderness, interactive tabling, and a social media campaign on Instagram.
Lunar New Year Week 2022 (January 31 through February 4) will consist of interactive tabling, a “Food Crawl” in New World Mall, and a movie screening of The Joy Luck Club: Rose Hill, McGinley Commons; Lincoln Center, South Lounge: 6:30 p.m.
Black History Month 2022 events include speakers, movie and trivia nights, and “Love Your Hair Expo” series of programs which will include a virtual panel and interactive tabling with self-care giveaways highlighting Black-owned businesses: Thursday, February 24: Virtual Panel 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and in-person tabling from 12 to 2 p.m.
Please follow OMA’s various Instagram accounts to stay up to date on upcoming events
@fordhamOMA, @blackhistoryatfordham, @fordhamAAPI
Fordham News
- Black History Month Events
- Lunar New Year Events
- Asian American Writing Group Expands to Lincoln Center
- Fordham Panelists Explore Latin American Roots and How to Define Themselves
- LGBTQ Hudson Valley Retreat to Offer Fall Foliage and Spirituality
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
GOAL: Build Lasting Partnerships With Our Neighbors
GOAL: Amplify our Voice in Educating for Justice Beyond the Campus
Fordham News
