1) Sumner provided an update on the current admission cycle, noting that although we remain ahead of all previous years in the total number of applications for admission received, we are behind in domestic applicants. We continue to be ahead in the number of applications received from African Americans, Native Americans and Asian Americans, and behind in those submitted by Hispanic/Latina/Latino students. Letters of admission, denial and alternate list will be mailed a bit earlier in March this year than in the past.

2) Sumner and Professor Patch brought the Committee up to date on the activity of the Board on Admission.

3) Most of the meeting was devoted to a discussion of the College's lack of gender balance and the question of giving males an advantage in the admission process to bring better gender balance to the student body. Data had previously been provided to the Committee on the exact gender breakdown this year, both domestic and international, as well as a fall article from TIME magazine on the topic from a national perspective. Discussion also included a recent news story from the DES MOINES REGISTER reporting on the gender balance at Iowa colleges/universities.

The Committee concluded that given that the current imbalance is not severe, that there seem to be no great disadvantages to the imbalance, and that women deserve the opportunity to attend Grinnell College based on their excellent academic preparation, that no action is needed at this time. Therefore, gender will continue to not be a factor in selecting the entering class each year.

4) Future meetings with both the faculty Board and Dr. Trosset and Mr. Baumler from the Office of Institutional Research were discussed, and Sumner agreed to arrange the meetings (see item 5 of the Feb. 19 meeting summary for more details).

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 1:15 P.M.

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