Minority Yields Unaffected By Scandal

Despite worries that minority students admitted to the Class of 2006 would view Harvard in less favorable light given the recent controversy of the University’s commitment to diversity, the admissions office said yesterday it has seen little change in the percentage of admitted minority students who will attend next fall.

“We have no evidence that the controversy affected minority yields,” said Director of Admissions Marlyn McGrath Lewis ’70-’73. “We are delighted and gratified by the numbers.”

A series of protests organized by several ethnic and racial student groups over pre-frosh weekend highlighted the perceived lack of proactive efforts from University President Lawrence H. Summers to increase minorities in Harvard’s faculty and student body.

They particularly highlighted the controversy surrounding the departure of Fletcher University Professor Cornel R. West ’74.

While at a Dunster House study break last week, Summers acknowledged that he had heard student concerns that yield for minority groups would be depressed, he noted “that concern has not materialized.”

However, Summers added that this year’s encouraging figures were no reason to be complacent.

In an effort to continue to attract minority students, Summers said Harvard must strengthen Afro-American studies department and “make sure there are ways of studying the idea of ethnicity.”

McGrath Lewis added the admissions office will continue to be sensitive to minority yields in future years.

“We are always concerned [about minority yield],” she said. “We will continue to be vigilant.”

Overall, close to 80 percent of admitted students to the Class of 2006 have chosen to enroll in September—the highest yield in 30 years.

The Class of 2006 will also see a similar ethnic makeup as past years’ classes.

Blacks will comprise 6.9 percent of first-years, down slightly from 7.2 percent this year, while the percentage of Hispanic students will slightly rise to 3.9 percent, from this year’s 3.4 percent.

The percentage of Asian-American students saw a more significant rise—going rose from 14.5 to 17.4 percent of the incoming class.

The high yield also means that few students, if any, will be admitted from the waiting list, according to McGrath Lewis.

“We don’t think we will be able to take anybody off the waiting list,” she said.

With only 1,650 spots for first-years, Harvard admits slightly more that number—roughly 2,000 students—assuming a small percentage of students will not accept.

“It’s not a science, “ McGrath Lewis said. “But we do have a fixed number of freshman beds.”

—Staff writer Robert M. Annis can be reached at annis@fas.harvard.edu.