Mejo 153: Race and Admissions

written by Victoria Johnson

Why is it only 12% ?

Diversity and equity have always been important factors considered for university standards but recently Covid-19 has brought crucial questions to the forefront. One significant question that has risen to the top is a question of UNC’s efforts of diversity and inclusion. How is this demonstrated when the university’s  admittance numbers and actions say otherwise?

When Nikole Hannah- Jones, an award winning African American investigative journalist,  was first offered the position of Knight Chair for Race and Investigative Journalism at UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism many issues rose to the forefront. It became a university then public issue that an esteemed journalist such as Hannah-Jones was at first only offered a five year contract compared to her predecessors receiving tenure for the same position. Then when it was pointed out very publicly that UNC’s Board of Trustees decision on whether to grant her tenure was delayed, Hannah-Jones eventually decided to serve at Howard instead while many students, faculty, and staff were left very frustrated and disappointed at the actions of their university . 

Even though it appeared that Hannah-Jones had the support of the UNC student body shown through their protest and outrage of demand for action, it was not enough as the possible issue of a private donor orchestrating the hindrance on her job offer was brought to light due to differing methods of teaching and beliefs. One of them being her controversial work ‘The 1619 Project’ which brought up topic of slavery in America and its lasting impact. 

As aforementioned, when tenure was finally offered, Hannah-Jones declined and chose to go to Howard with a twenty million dollar joint contract offer with one of the reasons being she wanted to send a message to the university and to the public.

“I wanted to send a powerful message, or what I hope to be a powerful message, that we’re [Black Americans] often treated like we should be lucky that these institutions let us in,” said Hannah-Jones. “But we don’t have to go to those institutions if we don’t want to.”

Why wouldn’t a proudly acclaimed liberal school such as UNC want to grow in its diversity in faculty? How could this possibly relate to the 8% black student population? The Hannah-Jones situation sparked a flurry of questions such as these as many were left reeling about the outcome. What could UNC’s response mean for black and minority current and future students- are they wanted here?

To find out an appropriate response one would need to  start from the root; how is any student even allowed to start their academic career on any campus? They are admitted in through an undergraduate or graduate admissions program and process. UNC’s undergraduate and graduate program both have their own set of procedures to vet through desired applications. 

Sandra Lazo de La Vega, Program Coordinator for UNC’s Department of City and Regional Planning’s graduate program, shares that the undergraduate admission procedures differ from those of the graduate program because each department vets through the applications and then submits their recommendations to The Graduate School at UNC. Undergraduate admissions are not as a niche and instead are processed by a single admissions team under the Office of Admissions and Aid. 

For the graduate program at DCRP,  Lazo de La Vega explains the two step process in which a holistic approach is taken on with two committees within the department. 

“We actually have a committee that is made up of primarily students, and they are directed by a faculty member.” said Lazo de La Vega. “Each application is fully read by the faculty member committee, as well as two students.” 

These students, who are made up of second year master students, are given training in implicit and bias and tested in those areas as well as upheld to a rubric of sorts of the standard guidelines DCRP’s graduate program requires and looks for in every applicant.  This method is a way to ensure that every applicant receives a fair assessment and review. 

Lamar Richards, the current undergraduate student body president, shares his own insight on the behind the scene process of undergraduate admissions. Unlike graduate programs at UNC, undergraduates admissions have federal guidelines set for them that include affirmative action. 

While affirmative action is often negatively looked upon, he asserts that behind the scenes its working. When asked for a breakdown of what is weighed and considered in the application process Richard shares how race is the least considered factor. 

“ I believe race at our school makes up about 3% of the application review process.” said Lamar Richards. “So it’s not that big of a factor we think about other 97% like things like GPA and test scores are still the bulk of the decision.”

Both Lazo de La Vega and Richards, when speaking on the behalf of UNC’s graduate and undergraduate programs, mention the recent efforts to create a more diverse applicant pool through outreach and targeting specific schools with high minority populations. However, in the end the two conclude with thoughts that both echoed each other. 

When it boils down to both individuals, it is not exactly the applicant pool that is the primary issue. Instead it is seeing the responses of this institution in many situations where actions speak louder than words. 

“As hard as we had to work [for DCRP recruiting]  before, to attract a diverse pool of applicants, it’s like twice as hard now.” said Lazo de La Vega “And you know, [that’s] because you have to convince people that we’re not, [UNC is not] a hostile place. And to be able to do that sincerely, is hard to do.”