Progress Report: Enrollment

Summary of Progress:

Improve our underrepresented student populations undergraduate and graduate student enrollment by adopting and practicing campus-wide holistic admissions and institutional grant-funding criteria to ensure that prospective and admitted students can pursue higher education at UB with less apprehension about covering the cost of obtaining a higher education degree.

• Response: We affirm that our enrollment work is committed to continuing the practice of a campus wide holistic admissions process. We consider not only academic achievements but also a wide range of factors that reflect the full potential of prospective students.
  • We have also seen continued increases in the diversity of our incoming cohorts, both first-year and transfer students, with more students enrolling from underrepresented backgrounds.
  • We are also excited to announce the creation of an EOP Grant Fund starting in Spring 2025, which will provide up to $2,500 per year to our highest achieving EOP admitted students from the time of admission. This grant will be tied to retention-based goals to support students throughout their academic journey, alleviating financial concerns and promoting strong retention outcomes.
  • Furthermore, we have revised the process for admitting Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students. Previously, EOP students had to wait for verification of their EOP status before being admitted. Under the new process, if a student identifies as EOP, they will be admitted as an EOP student pending verification of their status. This change provides students an earlier offer of admission, giving their high school counselor and family more time to complete the financial verification process. This ensures eligibility while reducing barriers to early admission and offering more time to prepare for the transition to UB.
  • Additionally, we have adjusted our process to offer scholarships at the time of admission, allowing students to have a complete financial picture earlier, which can significantly aid in their decision-making process. This streamlined approach ensures that students know both their admission status and financial support package upfront.
  • Partnering with SUNY ACE and expand our efforts through the UB TrACE program, which supports eligible transfer students in completing their degrees on time. TrACE offers a Cost of Attendance Award, textbook stipends, personalized advisement, academic support, and career development. Students qualifying for the program receive financial and academic resources, including stipends to cover non-tuition costs, pre-paid debit cards for student-related expenses, and access to dedicated TrACE advisors. This program plays a key role in supporting underrepresented and Pell-eligible students by reducing financial barriers and ensuring a smooth transition to UB.
  • For the Fall 2025 recruitment cycle, introduce a $1,000 supplemental "Metro Gap Top-Off" in addition to the standard merit-based scholarships at all levels. This targeted financial support will address the cost-of-living challenges faced by students from high-cost metro areas, helping to close financial gaps and increase UB's appeal to students from these regions, ultimately enhancing recruitment and retention efforts.

Strengthen, reimagine, grow and better coordinate pipeline programs for students of color.

• Response: While we do not subscribe to considering an applicant’s race status or identity as a metric in the college admissions process our enrollment work is committed to continuing enriching pipeline programs for underrepresented student groups. Ex., EOP, ACE, Acker Scholars, working collaborative with academic affairs to promote the student group CULTURE.

Identify and recruitment from Buffalo Public and WNY Schools Enrollment Pipelines.  (Originally recommended by the Community Engagement Committee)

• Response: We affirm that our enrollment work is committed to continuing the practice actively engaging in student recruitment and counselor engagement with a focus on Buffalo Public and WNY Schools Enrollment Pipelines.   
  
  • UB was invited to join the SUNY Top 10% Promise initiative, alongside eight other campuses. This program guarantees admission to a SUNY school for students graduating in the top 10% of their high school class at any New York State public high school. Our participation in this pilot enhances UB’s ability to support students from Buffalo Public and WNY schools, providing a clear pathway to higher education for students in the state’s most challenged districts and reinforcing our commitment to access, diversity, and educational equity.

Articulate strategic diversity plans for recruiting, retaining, and graduating underrepresented student populations at the school and academic support department levels, including regular assessment of outcomes demonstrating progress towards achieving a critical mass of representation from these plans.

• Response: A new element of our enrollment work for fall 2024 included the implementation of College Board’s Landscape tool designed to provide admissions officers with consistent contextual data on a student's high school and neighborhood, allowing for a more holistic review of applicants. This allows for an understanding of the applicant’s accomplishments within the context of their environment, offering insights into factors such as the socioeconomic status of the student’s neighborhood and high school. This also allows for a more equitable comparison of students from varying backgrounds.

Conduct annual assessment of outcomes on articulated diversity plans.

• Response: In progress.

Provide transparent, regularly updated and easily accessed data on the President, Provost and University websites regarding race/ethnicity trends of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and other minority students, faculty, and staff as well as current programs and services.

• Response: In Progress. While the below data demonstrates encouraging improvements in the enrollment of students from underrepresented backgrounds, there is still more work to be done. Despite the steady rise in diversity, some groups remain underrepresented at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Continued efforts are needed to address gaps in access, retention, and academic success for these populations. This includes enhancing recruitment initiatives, expanding need-based financial aid, and providing tailored support services to ensure that students from all backgrounds not only enroll but thrive during their academic journeys. By sustaining and intensifying these efforts, the institution can further promote inclusivity and create a more equitable educational environment for all.