The University of Illinois is trying to figure out why the African American student enrollment is dropping. The university had 475 black students enrolled this fall, down from about 500 students last year and almost 550 in 2016, The News-Gazette reported. The 2018 number doesn't include 115 multiracial students who also identify as African-American.
The university aims to conduct a survey from more than 700 applicants who declined the university's admission offer this year. It looks like the university heads already have some reasons in mind. Finances offers from other universities, and the shrinking pool of Illinois high school students likely contributed to the drop in African-American students, as said by the admissions director at the University of Illinois.
University officials hope the new Illinois Commitment program will increase enrollment.
The university is also recruiting in new places where the population is growing, with regional admissions staff covering California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, and New Jersey.