Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts in Enrollment Management

Butler University was founded by abolitionist Ovid Butler with the belief that everyone deserves an education, regardless of race or gender. This long-standing mission is just as important now as it was then, as it serves as a guiding post for the University, and specifically the Enrollment Management Division at Butler, which consists of the Office of Admission and the Office of Financial Aid.

The Enrollment Management Division supports the outreach, recruitment, and retention of prospective and current students, ensuring that these efforts are supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion—and the founding mission of the University.

Statement on Ruling Outlawing Race-Conscious Admissions

The Office of Admission has implemented a variety of strategic student recruitment initiatives to support diversity, equity, and inclusion, including:

Student Recruitment: Office of Admission staff regularly recruit students throughout the United States, with a dedicated admission counselor serving all areas of the country. Regional admission representatives are specifically located in Chicago, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, and Dallas for greater regional reach in those areas. Recruitment efforts may entail high school visits, college fairs, parent/student panel events, application days, student interviews, special group visits, individual campus visits, on-campus events, and more.

DEI at Butler Virtual Visits: Recommended for high school seniors, this virtual visit opportunity illustrates how DEI is infused into Butler’s academic and student experience. Students will hear about student organizations, scholarship opportunities, curriculum, and the admission process. This visit will also occasionally feature guest speakers from across campus. Led by the Associate Director of Admission DEI, this Zoom session provides a terrific platform for individual student Q&A. Learn more.

Butler Blue Scholars: In the spring semester, the University hosts Butler Blue Scholars, an event where admitted students interview for a variety of DEI-related scholarships. These scholarships include the Morton-Finney Diversity Scholar Award, the Center for Leadership Development Award, the Chicago Partnership Award, the Butler Tuition Guarantee, and the Center for Faith and Vocation Award.

Multicultural Admitted Student Engagement: From January through March, admission staff connect with multicultural students via check-in calls and campus visit notecards. Admission staff also coordinate the connection of Black Alumni Association members and senior Morton-Finney Scholars with these students via a notecard campaign.

Test-Optional Admission: Butler University is committed to providing support and improving access for prospective students during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. As such, first-year and transfer applicants for fall 2021, and all incoming classes thereafter, can apply with or without standardized test scores such as the SAT and the ACT. If applying with test scores, self-reported scores are accepted. More information can be found here.

Support: Staff in the Office of Admission and the Office of Financial Aid are available to support prospective students with any questions about the enrollment process. The Office of Admission has a full-time Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion who is supported by the Assistant Director of International Admission. Together, they coordinate the multicultural recruitment efforts of the entire recruitment team of admission counselors and Butler Student Ambassadors. More information about our admission counselors can be found here. All students also have their own financial aid contact, based on the first letter of their last name. Find your financial aid contact here.

The Office of Financial Aid is available to answer any questions about the financial aid process, including available aid programs, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and investing in a Butler education. Students can estimate their cost to attend through Butler’s Net Price Calculator or contact their financial aid counselor with questions. More information about our financial aid staff can be found here.

Financial aid counselors also serve the community by coordinating and presenting at a variety of events, including financial aid and FAFSA nights as well as financial literacy events.

To support student need, notable Butler gift aid includes:

Academic Scholarship Program: Awards range from $15,000-$25,000 and vary each year based on the applicant pool.
Butler Tuition Guarantee: Ten full-tuition awards are available to Marion County students who have high financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Center for Faith and Vocation (CFV) Scholarship: The CFV Scholarship is awarded to students who have a passion for engaging with people of religious, spiritual, and secular backgrounds that are different than their own. This scholarship is offered to approximately 10 incoming students for $4,000 per academic year.
Center for Leadership Development (CLD) Award: Full-tuition awards are available to students who have completed CLD’s Emerging Scholars program. Additionally, Butler sponsors two CLD events: the Minority Achievers Awards and Scholarship Gala and the College Prep Conference and College Fair.
Chicago Partnership Award: Full-tuition awards are available to students who have been nominated by a community-based organization in Chicago.
Indiana Latino Institute Award: Full-tuition awards are available to students who participate in the Indiana Latino Institute.
Morton-Finney Diversity Scholar Award: Students must demonstrate strong academic rigor and performance as well as a commitment and actions to promote diversity and inclusion through high school and community activities. Candidates from racially and ethnically diverse populations who have been historically underrepresented in institutions of higher education are encouraged to apply.

The Office of Admission partners with the following community-based organizations to help increase access to higher education:

National:

United States Hispanic Leadership Institute

Indiana:

Illinois:

In addition, the Office of Admission recently entered into a partnership with College Greenlight, a first-generation and underrepresented student search engine tool, which also facilitates the active engagement of new community-based organization partners.

The Office of Admission works in close collaboration with many other on-campus entities to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, including:

BU Be Well: Through BU Be Well, Butler University fosters a positive environment that helps students, faculty, and staff grow, learn, and be the best version of themselves. One of the eight dimensions is Diversity and Inclusion, which calls for understanding one’s own background and identity and how it might differ from others. It also provides resources for learning about and respecting diverse cultures and creating a supportive environment where everyone is welcome.
Career and Professional Success (CaPS): CaPS provides advising and development resources, empowering students to obtain their goals in a career, postgraduate studies, and service. CaPS also hosts Diversity Connections, a networking event and career fair providing a space for students to connect with employers committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Center for Faith and Vocation (CFV): The CFV is dedicated to supporting students, faculty, and staff in living a life of purpose, meaning, and contribution. The CFV supports the religious, spiritual, and secular communities on campus by promoting interfaith engagement and encouraging a religiously plural campus where learning across differences enhances our community.
The Core Curriculum: All students must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements, which include a Global and Historical Studies course and a Social Justice and Diversity course.
Efroymson Diversity Center (The DC): Featured at all major admission events including Discover Butler and Open House events as well as Butler Blue Scholars’ Day, the DC is an integral part of the Butler student experience. The DC facilitates trainings, discussions, and events and also serves as an open and inclusive symbol to the Butler community
Hub for Black Affairs and Community Engagement: This new addition to campus—which was recently established in fall 2020—will serve as an institutional command center to address systemic racism and Black oppression. The Hub consists of an advisory group, Black faculty and staff affinity groups, and Black student support. The Hub will also coordinate programs such as Visiting Black Intellectuals and Faculty Collaborative Fellows.
Institutional Research: The Office of Institutional Research & Assessment (OIRA) is the official source for Butler University facts and figures. Each year, OIRA publishes The Butler University Fact Book, a comprehensive compilation of official student and faculty data, including data on multicultural student enrollment.

Once at Butler, students passionate about DEI have many opportunities to get involved with student organizations and leadership opportunities. These organizations include:

Cultural and Social Awareness Organizations:

Center for Faith and Vocation Communities:

Other DEI-Related Student Organizations:

COPHS Students of Color and their Allies (SOCA)–coming soon
Interfaith Council
International Club

National Panhellenic Council–Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities:

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (Alpha Chapter founded at Butler in 1922)
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (city-wide chapter)
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (city-wide chapter)
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (city-wide chapter)
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (city-wide chapter)
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (city-wide chapter)
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (city-wide chapter)

There are plenty of opportunities available for alumni who are interested in volunteering in a multicultural recruitment capacity. If you’re interested in learning more about these volunteer opportunities, visit the Butler Alumni Recruiting Corps (BARC) website and fill out the interest form accordingly. If you aren’t an alumni of Butler University, reach out to Makeda Lands, Associate Director of Admission—DEI for more information on how to volunteer.

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts in Enrollment Management