The number of graduate assistantships awarded to graduate students of color has a direct impact on the enrollment of graduate students of color. The Graduate School has a comprehensive view of the changing dynamics of graduate student funding across campus, and as such is in the best position to augment fluctuating departmental support as needed. The absence of graduate student mentoring programs and the variance in the quality of graduate student mentoring by graduate faculty has a detrimental impact on graduate student of color retention. Culturally appropriate communication is problematic at all levels within the institution and places in conflict graduate student of color perception with the assertion that diversity is valued at the institution. Graduate student recruiting activities are largely decentralized and in the absence of a comprehensive institutional plan, the effectiveness of graduate student of color recruiting is difficult to ascertain.
Recommendations Continue and increase outreach events targeted to communities of color.
Increase culturally-appropriate marketing efforts in communities of color. Advertise to communities of color and in OSU promotional materials the purpose and availability of the Diversity Achievement Scholarship. Review the extent to which admissions policies and practices can be improved to close the gap in the rate of admission between historically underrepresented students of color and non-minority students. Utilize the Students of Color Recruitment and Retention Committee to review and recommend policy changes that impact the recruitment and retention of students of color. Establish new goals for increasing the number of faculty and staff of color and develop an action plan for achieving those goals, and make departmental chairs, deans and directors responsible for success.