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6B Wednesday October 22, 2014 // The Statement
What the 2014 enrollment data tells us about Detroit
by Will Greenberg
The numbers haven't changed much -
yet. But the University's pledge to build a
more diverse campus shows promise if the
school's efforts in Detroit are any indicator of
its national strategy.
The 2014 enrollment data for the Univer-
sity released Monday shows that this year's
freshmen class isn't much different from
that of the rest of the decade. According to
the University's Registrar reports, the Fall
2014 freshman class comprised of 3.84 per-
cent Black students - a drop from the Fall
2013 freshman class with 4.12 percent Black
students. Hispanic students also dropped to
4.48 percent from 4.72. The differences in
real numbers are small, with a difference of
six students for Black enrollment and two
students for Hispanic enrollment. The aver-
age undergraduate enrollment for these two
demographics has averaged at 4.65 percent
and 4.45 percent, respectively, over the past
five fall semesters.
Since being named the University's Presi-
dent last spring, Mark Schlissel has called
increasing the-currently stagnant minority
enrollment numbers as a priority. In the wake
of the historic ratz v. Bollinger case, which
banned affirmative action and the consider-
ation of race in college admissions starting in
2006, the University has attempted to recon-
cile a declining number of minority students
while maaining constitutional admissions
based programs such as Semester in Detroit
and has its own University admissions staff.
In fact, Wainaina personally knows Assistant
Admissions Director Delphine Byrd, and says
Byrd makes frequent appearances to Renais-
sance.
"U of M is always active," Wainaina said.
"Even though a lot of the colleges now are
coming up here, you still see a lot more of U of
M than you see even of (Michigan) State and
Bowling Green and everybody else."
Melissa
Jones, a
guidance
counselor at "WHETHER IT'S
Renaissance,
also said the COLLEGE OR A UN
Detroit Center
and Byrd have TRYING TO GO TC
been intensely
involved with
students at TRYING TO BR E A
the school,
particularly in STEREOTYPES BE
the past cou-
ple of years, MORE THAN S
though she
added that the
involvement -SIa r ra V
has increased
'from ill Rennissnnce 1-in
Ii
7)
in an e-mail interview that while Detroit
recruitment is not necessarily a new focus for
admissions, the Detroit Center has held more
frequent events for students and parents,
connecting them with guidance counselors
and emphasizing financial aid opportuni-
ties. Generally, Sanders said Detroit recruit-
ment involves a variety of visits, community
meetings, partnership meetings and other
outreach events, including an annual spring
forum during which DPS principals receive
feedback.
"Our first
priority is to
COMMUNITY engage students
and parents,
IV E R SIT Y, WE'RE to ensure stu-
dents consider
. WE'RE the opportuni-
Cies EGEties available at
the University
DOWN THOSE of Michigan,"
Sanders wrote.
CAUSE WE ARE "Resources are
provided as
FEREOTYPES." needed for pro-
grams as they
continue to
Vua in a na, grow in size and
scope."
h School senior Sanders
added that a
major factor is
"myth-busting"
or dismissing
any mispercep-
tions students have about admissions by pro-
Renaissance is one of the better perform-
ing schools in DPS, consistently sending over
95 percent of their students to college, accord-
ing to Jones. In 2012, Renaissance had the
second-highest high school graduation rate
in DPS with a rate of 95.47 percent. However,
this is far from the norm of DPS high schools,
the average in 2012 being 64.74 percent.
Renaissance is also a selective-enrollment
high school, meaning that while beinga pub-
lic school, students need a minimum level of
academic performance to secure admission.
Renaissance Principal Anita Williams said
she has been impressed with the involvement
and accessibility of University admissions
staff. A former assistant principal at Detroit's
Cass Technical High School, she lauded the
resources made available to Renaissance stu-
dents and has even seen evidence of outreach
to other DPS schools.
"They really care about the kids first," she
said, on the University's admissions staff.
"It didn't matter that it's Cass or it's Renais-
sance. I didn't see any difference in outreach;
I didn't see any difference in commitment."
While Williams and many of her students
have good standing with the University, the
same cannot be said across all Detroit high
school students.
Last spring, a By Any Means Necessary
protest highlighted the cases of four stu-
dents, three of them from schools in Detroit,
who were denied admission to the University._
The four students were members of minority
groups, two Black and two Hispanic, and the
protest called for the admissions office to be
more acti in recruiting minoities a dpro-
THE THOUGHT BUBBLE
the fashion voyeur:
know your socks!
BY MAX RADWIN
It's almost universally agreed
upon by fashionistas such
as myself that socks are the
most essential part of any per-
son's wardrobe. Don't be fooled
into thinking you can just throw
on a pair and rush out the door.
Chances are you put on the wrong
kind, and if your pant leg rides up
even a little while you're sitting
down, everyone is going to real-
ize how big a fool you are. I'm
telling you, guys - the last thing
you want is to look out of style.
You've got enough problems to
have socks slowing you down,
"I've been (longboarding) for four years and racing for two years. The most rewarding too.
thing is when you get to the bottom of the hill, and, first of all, you're not hurt. You've The sock has to match the
had a good run ... The benefits absolutely outweigh the risks. Even while in bed after occasion. It's clear and simple. If
surgery from (injuries), I was watching a race on Livestream and couldn't wait to get you're feeling sporty, keep those
back on my board." socks out of sight. White or black
that don't reach fareout of the
-JORDAN BRYAN, LSA SOPHOMORE shoe. But if you're feeling really
sporty, then put on those half-
calf Nike blacks that have the big
ILLUSTRATION BY MAGGIE MILLER
white swoosh on them. Classic.
They scream, "I'm trying to seem
athletic" or, "I don't put effort
into my appearance, but I still
happen to look good."
If I'm going out to the bars in
hopes of finding some compan-
ionship, I put on my shin-high
Batman socks. Nothing says "I'm
a catch" like the face of a masked
vigilante on your lower calf. If I'm
going to a business casual event
with a little class, I whip out my
Hokusai shin-highs --they've got
a picture of the famous Japanese
painting "The Great Wave" on
them. Talk about your conversa-
tion starters! And boy do they
look great with khakis.
But novelty socks aren't for the
novice. That's some expert dress
game so play with caution. Maybe
go stripes before you work your
way to Batman or classic works
of art.
PRINTS: STICK UP
-T#lYSANS A SDRWcKFupU
_______BY ANDREW FULLER