Graduate schools are not diverse enough, CGS study says

Penn prides itself on a diverse campus, representing many ethnicities and nationalities throughout both undergraduate and graduate programs.

However, the Council of Graduate Schools may not agree with this assessment.

Last month, CGS published a report on diversity in graduate schools at the legislative forum at the Library of Congress.

According to the report, entitled "Broadening Participation in Graduate Education," as the United States' diversity increases, the under-representation of Latinos, blacks and women also increases in graduate schools.

CGS spokesman Stuart Heiser said scientific fields have the greatest lack of diversity for these groups.

On the other hand, Renee Post, Penn Law associate dean of admissions and financial aid, called the school a "leader in law school diversity."

"Diversity of people and thought is one of the underpinnings of our collegial community, creating an ideal environment for real learning," Post said.

Mary Lou de Leon Siantz, Penn's School of Nursing assistant dean of diversity and cultural affairs, agreed that more diversity is necessary in Penn graduate schools.

The Nursing School, for example, recently started an initiative to diversify the school and create a model for nursing schools across the country.

"This vision has changed the face of nursing at all levels to reflect the diversity of a global society, which is what Penn is about, and to make Penn's School of Nursing the model for diversity," de Leon Siantz said.

Graduate School of Education Assistant Dean Thomas Kecskemethy said the admissions process is key to ensuring diversity.

"We pay particular attention to creating as diverse as possible an incoming class for each of our programs," he said.

Post added that, for Penn Law, both students and faculty attend recruitment events targeted to underrepresented communities around the country each year.

The CGS report emphasized creating inclusiveness within the schools, which Heiser defined as "resources and support that are required to help our graduate students complete their degrees."

In accordance with this suggestion, the Nursing School's campaign for diversity involves three different aspects - recruitment, retention and graduation, de Leon Siantz said.

She said making students comfortable with a diverse group of staff, faculty and leaders within the school is just as important as having a varied student body.

She added that it is important that students not only get started on their Master's programs but graduate from them as well.

"When people look at nurses of color, they do not tend to think leadership," she said. "For leadership to occur, you have to begin with a Master's degree."

The report emphasized that improving diversity in graduate schools would prepare the next generation of leaders in a wide range of fields, but that ignoring trends in the U.S.'s diversity could have highly detrimental effects for a growing population.

"We need to have students, faculty and staff that reflect the demography of the U.S.," de Leon Siantz said. "Penn is not there yet."

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