Chapter 8: Equity, Fairness, and Inclusiveness
The Diversity of the University Community


Ten percent of Millersville's students are of color (Table 8-1). This is the third highest proportion among State System universities. Over the past five years we have seen modest increases in the number of African-American and Latino students, while the proportion of women has declined slightly.

Table 8-1
Student Headcount Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Category and Gender
Headcount 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Enrollment No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct.
White 6799 91% 6743 90% 6809 90% 6743 90% 6586 90%
Afr.-Amer. 386 5% 408 5% 448 6% 419 6% 417 6%
Latino 146 2% 157 2% 156 2% 156 2% 166 2%
Asian 165 2% 150 2% 140 2% 136 2% 125 2%
Native Amer. 14 0% 16 0% 11 0% 12 0% 13 0%
Women 4630 62% 4560 61% 4523 60% 4439 59% 4358 60%
Total 7510 100% 7474 100% 7564 100% 7466 100% 7307 100%
Note. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: 1998-1999 Fact Book

Millersville's employees are more diverse than its student body (Table 8-2). Seventeen percent of all full-time employees are of color, the third highest proportion in the State System. There has been a modest increase in the number of African-American employees over the past five years. The number of women has increased from 47% to half of all full-time employees. This is the third highest proportion among State System universities.

Millersville's Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy Statements make clear that we are committed to the recruitment, hiring, promotion, development, and retention of staff, administrators, and faculty consistent with our stated affirmative employment procedures. Our Affirmative Employment Procedures Manual addresses all aspects of the hiring process, including selection criteria, advertisement, recruitment, interview and reference check questions, diversity in the applicant pool, and providing a welcoming climate for applicants.

Table 8-2
Full-Time Employees by Racial/Ethnic Category and Gender
Full-Time 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Employees No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct. No. Pct.
White 720 84% 731 84% 730 84% 723 83% 698 83%
Afr.-Amer. 57 7% 60 7% 65 7% 67 8% 67 8%
Latino 47 6% 47 5% 46 5% 50 6% 50 6%
Asian 27 3% 28 3% 28 3% 25 3% 26 3%
Native Amer. 2 0% 2 0% 2 0% 2 0% 3 0%
Women 403 47% 410 47% 419 48% 423 49% 421 50%
Total 853 100% 868 100% 871 100% 867 100% 844 100%
Note. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: 1998-1999 Fact Book

Between 1996 and 1999, the ratio of white new hires to all others was 74% to 26%. Millersville has made significant strides in increasing the diversity of key employee cohorts as well as employees as a whole. From its founding in 1855 until 1993, all of Millersville's vice presidents were white males. Currently, three of our five vice presidents are women, one a person of color, and one of the three school deans is a woman. Since the mid-1990s we have hired two female associate vice presidents and one female assistant vice president, and women now comprise 43% of assistant and associate vice presidents. Nineteen percent of Millersville's executive managers within the Academic and Student Affairs divisions are of color-the second highest proportion in the State System after Cheyney, a historically African-American university.

Among faculty, 13% are of color, second highest in the State System after Cheyney, and 40% are women, slightly above the State System average of 38%. This is important evidence of our commitment to providing a comfortable climate and role models for our students of color and our female students.

Millersville has diversified other employee cohorts as well. Millersville has the third highest proportion of employees of color in the clerical, skilled crafts, and service/maintenance cohorts in the State System. For the "other professionals" cohort, Millersville ranks fourth.

Between 1996 and 1999, the University experienced 250 personnel separations, of which 53% were white and 46% were people of color.