PROVIDENCE, R.I. (TND) — Brown University saw an increase in the number of new Asian students enrolled at its school following the Supreme Court striking down affirmative action, according to new data.
The high court ruled in 2023 colleges and universities could no longer take race into account when conducting admissions. That practice, known as affirmative action, had previously been enforced to ensure a diverse student body.
Brown on Friday released the racial diversity profile of its incoming freshman class. The data revealed Asian students make up 33% of the student body, compared to 29% the year prior.
Students who identify as White, Black and Hispanic each saw a decrease in their share of the incoming class.
The class is also the school’s most globally diverse group, with 14% being international students, according to the data. Brown noted, however, the makeup of the class saw a decline from 27% to 18% in “groups historically underrepresented in higher education.”
Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate Admission Logan Powell attributed these shifts to the SCOTUS decision.
“Even with a significant number of measures in place to ensure a diverse, talented applicant pool and enrolled class, we recognized the likelihood that declines in the number of students of color at Brown and other selective universities were widely anticipated across the country,” Powell said. “We’re pleased to welcome an academically excellent class of students and one that remains diverse, although to a lesser degree than previously.”
READ MORE | UNC reports enrollment drop for some minority groups after affirmative action ruling
He also noted the school’s “commitment to a diverse campus community in every sense remains unchanged.” Powell said Brown would continue to encourage “talented students of every background [to] apply.”
The findings follow a similar shift at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where enrollment of Asian students rose 6% this fall. The number of African American students enrolled saw a sharp decline, however, falling from 13% to just 5%, according to MIT data. Hispanic and Latino enrollment also fell from 15% to just 5%.
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