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Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rochester Institute of Technology - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Diversity

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 5%
Asian American 5%
Hispanic 4%
International 5%
Native American 0%
White 70%
Unknown 10%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 50%
Common States of Residence
  • Connecticut
  • Foreign countries
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 0%
18-19: 31%
20-21: 33%
22-24: 24%
25+: 12%
Female Faculty 32%
Male Faculty 68%
Faculty Diversity African American: 4%
Asian American: 6%
Hispanic: 3%
International: 5%
Native American: 1%
White: 77%
Unknown: 3%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

RIT is not seen by its students as an entirely diverse campus. Most students that come here are from the United States, and are mostly white, middle-class males. There has been a great push by administration the last few years to encourage diversity on campus. Though often criticized, their efforts appear to be working. The number of women and minority students has drastically increased since the campaign started. RIT students, on the whole, are very accepting of different cultures, and they are all pretty much open to different religious and political values. While there are moments of tension between certain groups, the student body seeks to promote understanding and tolerance between all religious and political groups. There have been a limited number of crimes committed due to a person’s ethnicity, religious beliefs, or social convictions, and none of them were the least bit serious. One of the most noticeable groups on campus is RITGA, the RIT Gay Alliance. RITGA is a very active group of students who seek to promote understanding and acceptance of alternative lifestyles. Another group that is very vocal is the Women’s Center. They put on various annual events, including “Take Back the Night” and “The Vagina Monologues.” These programs are aimed at raising awareness about domestic violence and bringing about social change.

As at any school, there are students who have contrasting views on certain subjects. RIT allows these students to come face-to-face and discuss topics in open student forums that address heated topics, such as self-segregation, in a civilized manner. The school does a great job of promoting diversity on campus, and follows through (sometimes excessively) on its programs to do so. In the future, RIT is likely to continue its trend of becoming even more of a diverse campus by stepping up their recruitment of minority students.

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RIT Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Rochester Institute of Technology

Mschambers

'14

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration

4.2
A-

All Kinds of People

The campus is very diverse. Although the majority of the students are white, there are deaf and hearing impaired people here.

Nov 09, 2011

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Diversity at Rochester Institute of Technology

tlg5208

'13

Graphic Design

4.2
A-

I Learned Sign Language and I Love It Now!

Something i feel is especially amazing about the RIT community is the NTID (national technical institute for the deaf) which is located right on campus. This is home to largest deaf population in Rochester, which is the largest deaf city in the country! Coming to this school, knowing that i was going to be immersed in all different cultures, i never expected to be interested in another culture so quickly. The friendliness and overall openness the staff at RIT exemplifies really brought me to want to learn sign language. I've met several people who are deaf, and i probably wouldnt have met them if it wasn't for the great ties RIT makes between deaf and hearing people. I really love going to a school and learning about other people and their language & beliefs. I feel it's really interesting.

Oct 18, 2011

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Diversity at Rochester Institute of Technology

Dabdeen

'13

Electrical and Electronics Engineering

4.6
A

NTID

With the NTID on campus, i see a lot of diversity.

Sep 27, 2011

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Page 1 of 8

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

RIT and the town of Rochester, in general, are very accepting of the gay and bisexual population. Groups such as RITGA are very active in the community and plan many events, including the annual gay pride parade and festivities. Outspoken, a major student organization, is also available for the GLBT community, supporters and the curious.

Political Activity

RIT is a political mecca of sorts. There are active groups present that hold many types of political views. Students on campus are not shy at all about actively portraying their political ideals. There are multiple official and unofficial political groups on campus, many of which post propaganda and hold meetings and rallies on a regular basis.

Economic Status

Students here tend to be from middle- to upper-class backgrounds. There is, however, a generous sprinkling of lower-class students as well. Overall, economic status is not a major issue at RIT. One thing is for sure—we’re all broke after a couple of weeks of eating out here!

Most Common Religions

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are all well represented on campus. There are many clubs on campus dedicated to religious life, including Hillel, Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IV), Brothers And Sisters In Christ (BASIC), Newman Parish, and the Muslim Student Association (MSA). Many of the groups try to work together to promote religious tolerance and understanding while still holding traditional services.

Minority Clubs on Campus

Minority students play an important role in the overall RIT experience. There are clubs based around minority cultures, but each one welcomes any student interested in a particular aspect of the culture and does not require that students be of that minority’s descent in order to join. Clubs like OASIS and the Asian Deaf Club seek to promote overall student understanding and appreciation for different cultures. Another major student organization, African American, Latin American, and Native American (AALANA) Collegiate Association (or ACA for short), and Global Union help support many of the minority clubs on campus and their offices are located in the basement of the Student Alumni Union.

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at RIT

Name: Alecia Crawford

Hometown: Candor, NY

Major: Advertising and Public Relations

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