Diversity and Inclusion Master Plan

In order to gain understanding on the URM percentages to SUNY Optometry access, an analysis was conducted using applicant data from seven admissions cycles, ranging from 2009-10 until 2016-17 (Table 3, 4, and Figure 4). During this period, 5030 applicants applied to SUNY Optometry and 72% of these applicants were female. Acceptance rate for females was 26.2% compared to 23.6% for males.

Table 3. Percentage of Applicants and Acceptances by Gender

Gender

Percentage of Applicant Pool

Percentage of Applicant's Accepted

Female

72.8% 27.2%

26.2% 23.6%

Male

In terms of applicants’ race and ethnicity, 35% were White, followed by Asian (29.6%), Non -resident Alien (14.4%), Two or more races (6.9%), Black (3.7%), Hispanic (2.7%), American Indian (0.3%), and Native Hawaiian (0.1%). Asian and White applicants had the highest acceptance rates of 30.1% and 27.8%, respectively. Acceptance rates for Black was 13.5%, Hispanic was 23.9%, Nonresident alien was 21.7%, Two or more races was 10.7%, and unknown was 11.9%.(Native Hawaiian was not included since there were only three applicants from that group in the past 7 years) As a note, in the 2016-2017 admissions cycle (Figure 5), SUNY Optometry received 55 applications from URMs, accepted 9 of these students (acceptance rate of 16.4%), and enrolled 7 students. This was the second highest enrollment of minority students in the past 12 years.

Under-Represented Minority Students: Applied, Accepted and Matriculated

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Students Applied

30

Students Accepted

Students Matriculated

20

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Figure 5. Number of URM Applicants, Acceptances, and Enrollment at SUNY Optometry

Figure 6 describes the percentage of applicants and acceptance rates by race. The bar graph shows how SUNY Optometry is lagging behind application rates and acceptances for URMs. This scenario

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