Students voice discontent with University response to affirmative action ruling
Reporting about the SGA, not a record of it: The Johns Hopkins News-Letter published this and the SGA did not write it, file it, or approve it. The archive holds it because the article itself uses the phrases “sga” and “student government”.
Summary
- This Johns Hopkins News-Letter article reports on student criticism of the University’s response to lower racial and ethnic representation in the Class of 2028.
- The News-Letter reported that the share of first-year students identifying with underrepresented groups fell from 37% in 2023 to 17.6% in 2024.
- The paper reported that the Black Student Union called for more transparency and specific diversity efforts, saying, “We believe that diversity is not just a metric to be achieved, but a core value that enriches the academic experience for everyone," they wrote.”
- The article adds that BSU president Gnagna Sy said the smaller number of Black freshmen had reduced the size and leadership pipeline of cultural and affinity organizations.
- The reporter writes that students raised recruitment concerns at an SGA Communities of Color Forum, after which the SGA began proposing a draft resolution recommending specific steps for a more diverse class.
- According to the article, Vice President J.B. Bird said the University plans to use race-neutral strategies including outreach to majority-minority high schools, geographic diversity, stronger financial-aid messaging and improvements to campus life.