Commitment to the Value of Diversity

At many higher education institutions, including many elite private universities, there has been a major focus on the educational benefits created by bringing students of diverse backgrounds and experiences to enrich campus communities, and many initiatives have been developed to attempt to increase levels of student diversity.  At St. John’s, we also remain committed to the value of diversity as a fundamental foundation of our mission and vision.  Unlike many other educational institutions, our unique location in the most diverse county, and of the most diverse cities in the country, has enabled us naturally to attract a very multicultural student body (Appendix B).

In Fall 2004, students of color represented 39% of the student population body, and students came from 44 states, and more than 100 countries.  In recent years there also has been a steady increase in the number of female students, currently about 60%, mirroring national collegiate trends. A related area that also mirrors national trends is the disparity in six-year graduation rates by ethnic group: 73% for Whites; 65% for Asians; 60% for Hispanics and 56% for Black students. On the other hand, current one-year retention rates are highest for Asian students (83%) and almost identical for Whites (79%), Hispanics (78%) and Blacks (76%). Retention and graduation rates need to be monitored and objectives and strategies developed as warranted.

The University also fosters and values religious diversity.  Catholics comprise about half of the student population, with the remaining student population representing many religious groups including all the major Protestant religions, Jewish, Russian and Greek Orthodox, Hindu, Islam, Buddhist and Mormon.  As part of our Catholic identity, the University has been monitoring the gradual decline of Catholics in the student population over the last ten years, at 51% in Fall 2004, and the increase in the unknown religion category. 

Our community of students, alumni, faculty, employees, and employers, recognize and consistently identify diversity (in surveys and focus groups) as one of the top strengths of the University. In the recent National Survey of Student Engagement, significantly higher percentages of our students in comparison with a peer group indicated that they had held serious conversations with students of different race or ethnicity and that the University encourages contact among students from different economic, social, and racial/ethnic backgrounds.  St. John’s was ranked ninth among racially diverse national universities in the 2006 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges receiving a diversity index of .66, with 1.0 = highest.

At the same time, we are aware that although much progress has been made, the level of diversity of the faculty, administrators, and staff remains lower than that of the student body and that additional efforts should be made in this area (Appendix J).

Consistent with the University’s mission as a Catholic, Vincentian and metropolitan institution of higher education, we endorse the principles below, as indicative of our commitment to the value of diversity:

• “The University will not tolerate any form of overt or subtle prejudice or discrimination. Every effort will be made to create a hospitable, collegial, learning and working environment where students, faculty, administrators and staff of all backgrounds are welcome.
• In an effort to mirror more closely our student population, all academic and administrative units of the University will be committed to recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, administrators and staff.
• The University will build upon its progress in diversity, celebrate its achievements and continue to identify and respond to future challenges.”