Campus Inclusivity at UW-Whitwater
Dr. Kenny Yarbrough, of UW-Whitewater has hopes of making the school a more inclusive place. Yarbrough has worked in the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for almost three years. He has shared enrollment rates reflecting the 2014-2019 school years among a range of racial backgrounds.
Yarbrough shares that “I have been extremely vocal to share as much information as possible with not only our campus community, but our alums and community members as well.” It is important to note that no matter the background, every student and faculty member matters regarding making UWW a safe space for all.
When looking into undergraduate reports, it seems that enrollment rates are down in both African American and Caucasians. Those reports go as follows:
- African American rates are down about 0.5%
- Caucasian rates are down over 1%
Although other enrollment rates among Latinx went up and rates among American Indian and Asians stayed the same.
While sharing about student engagement, Dr. Yarbrough explained that better classroom interaction relies on diversity throughout an institution, which is something UW-Whitewater is hoping to achieve. When there are a diverse set of opinions coming from each student, it is easier for students to embrace the experiences of others. Sharing a personal story to a class allows for more engagement from reading a story in a book or online.
It is important to share the information referencing new freshman where enrollment percentages went up in each of the following categories: African American, Latinx, Southeast Asian and Caucasian.
On the opposite side of the spectrum are enrollment rates among graduate students which were reported as follows:
- African American, American Indian and Caucasian enrollment rates went down an average of 0.5%
- Latinx graduate enrollment rose about 3%
“We will continue to create an inclusive campus culture where different perspectives are respected, and individuals feel valued” said Yarbrough. While the reports shared are only based on race, you can find the different enrollment rates according to gender at uww.edu.