As colleges and universities across the nation strive to increase racial and economic diversity on their campuses, many are rethinking admissions policies. A growing trend among secondary public and private colleges is the addition of diverse professionals to the faculty and board of trustees as part of a fundraising strategy to help them achieve the mission of improving racial and economic diversity on campus.
Many private institutions also offer underrepresented students scholarships, many of which are funded by alumni and businesses. Most scholarships do not cover room, board, or a meal plan. While these scholarships may appear to be a step in the right direction, they often disproportionately benefit wealthier students who can afford the balance of tuition, housing, and food costs out-of-pocket.
A 2016 report from Brookings found Black students borrowed more to cover the balance of tuition, housing, and food costs more than their White peers, even after college or university financial aid applied to tuition and books. They were also more likely to default on their student loans. This is due in part to the fact that Black families are less likely to have college savings or other forms of financial support to draw from.
For many low-income students of color, a student loan is the obvious choice. It will help them cover the remaining costs associated with pursuing a degree. However, are these students subsidizing a college’s mission to have a more diverse student body by taking out a student loan?
Colleges and universities are doing more to reduce the financial barriers facing low-income and underrepresented minorities, many of whom are first-generation students. Some strategies which increase college accessibility and affordability for these groups include more work-study opportunities, waiving application fees, providing need-based grants and merit-centered scholarships.
However, if less racially diverse colleges are committed to admitting more students from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly low-income students, then they must completely take student loans off the table. That is unlikely to happen. But I believe colleges can do more to help improve the chances of their financial outcome before and during enrollment.
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could have a major impact on race-conscious admission practices at colleges and universities. If the Court rules against race-conscious admissions practices, it is likely that colleges and universities will increasingly turn to economic diversity initiatives to achieve their diversity goals.
Financial aid directors at four-year colleges and universities must have an honest conversation with students and parents about other options which can help the student get a bachelor’s degree. If an economically disadvantaged student is academically qualified but not financially capable of attending, but for student loans, financial aid advisors should present community college as a possibility. Fulfilling prerequisites at a community college is usually much cheaper per credit cost, can help bridge the financial gap and may give a student the breathing they need to transfer to the more expensive four-year institution.
Many students enroll in community college as a step toward enrolling in a four-year degree, often completing a bachelor’s degree in less than four years if all the community college credits transfer. However, there are plenty of Black students who make an emotional decision to take out a loan to attend the four-year college, often at the direction of the campus financial aid office.
Campus diversity is a worthy mission, but low-diversity colleges need to try something other than the Black-White student debt gap to help them achieve a more multicultural “campus life” than through the borrowed fortunes from poor Black students.
Sharon Bailey resides in Niagara Falls. You can email her at sbailey.opinion@gmail.com
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