{"id":5167,"date":"2020-06-26T18:08:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-26T22:08:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.libertystudentnews.com\/?p=5167"},"modified":"2020-06-26T18:08:32","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T22:08:32","slug":"liberty-university-responds-to-news-article","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.libertystudentnews.com\/?p=5167","title":{"rendered":"Liberty University responds to news article"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 26, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CONTACT:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scott Lamb, (434) 262-2771 (cell) | (434) 592-6836 (office)
scottlamb@liberty.edu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liberty University responds to local newspaper report about diversity, enrollment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynchburg, VA \u2014 Liberty University has issued a response to a June 26 News & Advance article that neglects to correctly reflect Liberty\u2019s current enrollment figures for African American students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the writer noted that \u201cNationally, Black students made up 15% of students enrolled in colleges and universities,\u201d citing the National Center for Education Statistics, amazingly he did not include the percentage of African Americans attending Liberty. As of Fall 2018 (the latest IPEDS data available), Liberty is trending with the national average, with 15% black enrollment and 25% minority enrollment (26% declined to report any race). In a story where so much attention was given to enrollment numbers, neglecting to provide this information from the university and only citing figures from an individual who is no longer affiliated with the school shows a disregard for accuracy. The News & Advance has proven once again that it is officially part of the fake news media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liberty alumnus Eric Carroll was also misquoted in the article. The article said Carroll, a 1991 graduate and a pastor in Richmond, \u201csaid he believes Liberty has purposefully allowed Black enrollment on campus to decline\u201d and was quoted as saying, \u201cFor a university our size, we should have a lot more representation for African Americans and other ethnic minorities and we just don\u2019t have it. And that\u2019s by choice. I refuse to believe that it\u2019s just that nobody wants to apply.\u201d Carroll released this statement to Liberty University on Friday: \u201cI read the article which came out in The News and Advance publication and wanted to set the record straight. At no time did I say that the African American and ethnic minority enrollment at Liberty was down by choice or on purpose. This is not what I said and it\u2019s very irresponsible for someone to report this. I was asked if I believed it was done on purpose, to which I responded, \u2018I don\u2019t believe that nor could I answer that. You would have to work there to make such claim.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liberty provided The News & Advance with information on June 8 that describes the university\u2019s ongoing efforts to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion, and that information was not included in the article even though it is pertinent to the issue. The full information, as provided to The News & Advance, is included below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The university remains committed to fostering diversity in its academic and professional community. In January 2018, the university formed the division of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion<\/a> to lead the development and implementation of initiatives that support Liberty\u2019s desire to have culturally and ethnically diverse students, faculty, staff, and leadership, free from all unbiblical and unlawful discrimination. In November 2018, the Board of Trustees adopted a resolution<\/a> to advance efforts in diversity across campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resolution acknowledges the centrality of \u201cfostering a diverse, co-educational student body and an inclusive educational environment reflective of the Body of Christ\u201d as well as the need to utilize proactive measures to recruit, retain, and support highly qualified and diverse students. The resolution also recognizes that the purpose of the Office of Equity & Inclusion<\/a> is to cultivate not only a diverse student body but also \u201ca culturally and ethnically diverse leadership team, faculty, (and) staff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vice President for Equity and Inclusion\/Chief Diversity Officer Greg Dowell worked with Liberty\u2019s attorneys to draft the resolution, and President Falwell brought it before the board for a vote. Falwell was the catalyst for the formation of the new division and remained an integral part of the adoption process for the Resolution on Equity and Inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis resolution is an important opportunity to model diversity in higher education from a biblical perspective, and, when done right, it fits perfectly within the boundaries of the law,\u201d Falwell said in a news release in 2018. \u201cLiberty has always sought to provide an educational experience that celebrates the unique ways in which we all reflect the image of God, and from that understanding, to foster an environment where students from a variety of cultures and backgrounds achieve academically and grow in their faith together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is that figures on black enrollment have been declining on average nationally over the past decade, and while Liberty has not been content to sit by as this happens, it has not been immune to the trend. Academics have theorized various reasons for the overall decline. One factor is the larger number of students declining to be identified by the narrow categories the federal government uses for tracking data, whether because the old labels don\u2019t fit a more multiracial generation, or a generation that prefers \u201cAfrican American,\u201d or because students perceive no advantage to committing to a classification. Whatever the reasons, President Falwell and Liberty University welcome students (and staff) of all races and believe the diversity initiatives of recent years and coming years will bear fruit over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABOUT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liberty University<\/em><\/a>, founded in 1971, is the world\u2019s premier Christian university, one of the largest private, nonprofit universities in the nation, and the largest university in Virginia. Located near the Blue Ridge Mountains on more than 7,000 acres in Lynchburg, Va., Liberty offers more than 700 unique programs of study from the certificate to the doctoral level. Over 450 programs are offered <\/em>online<\/em><\/a>. Utilizing its world-class infrastructure and Christian faculty, Liberty\u2019s mission is to Train Champions for Christ with the values, knowledge, and skills essential for impacting tomorrow\u2019s world.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2020 CONTACT: Scott Lamb, (434) 262-2771 (cell) | (434) 592-6836 (office)scottlamb@liberty.edu Liberty University responds to local newspaper report about diversity, enrollment…<\/p>\n

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