UW-Madison released fall enrollment numbers this week, based on a student census conducted on the tenth day of classes.
The percentage of underrepresented students of color enrolled in the first-year class decreased from 18% last year to 14.3% this fall. These figures include students who identify as Black, Hispanic, South Asian, Native American or other underrepresented races and ethnicities. The percentages don’t include demographics of international students.
Admissions rates also dropped. Roughly 42% of underrepresented students of color who applied were accepted by the university this fall, compared to nearly 80% in 2023, when looking at first-year students.
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin called the declines “disappointing.”