“Diversity is essential for Towson University”

By Pam Gorsuch on February 1, 2018

President Kim Schatzel responded to recent news about diversity in higher education through a letter-to-the-editor in the Baltimore Sun on Thursday, Feb. 1. Her response, titled “Diversity is essential for Towson University,” shares the president’s belief that inclusion is a prerequisite for diversity. It also reports recent statistics on campus diversity and student success.

“I am proud that our minority enrollment rates have grown during my tenure here, with more than 44 percent of first-time, full-time students in TU’s fall 2017 class identifying as racial or ethnic minorities, and 22 percent as African-American.

“In higher education, we often measure success in six-year graduation rates, which reflect the percentage of students who earn degrees within six years of first enrolling," Schatzel continued. "Our most recent data shows there was no difference between minority and overall six-year graduation rates — both are 72 percent. Our African-American graduation rate is 74 percent. That’s higher than our overall graduation rate and the latest national average, which is 40 percent. This is a point of distinction and pride for our students, faculty and administration.”

Read President Schatzel’s full response to recent diversity news.