Syracuse University has revised its changes to the Posse program and will now support a Posse in Atlanta next year in addition to a long-term Posse program in Miami, the university announced Monday afternoon.

Earlier this month, SU notified current Posse scholars that it would discontinue its Posse programs in Atlanta and Los Angeles and would only keep the Miami program. After a protest was held on campus, administrators announced last week that they were reconsidering the changes. Posse Scholars are recruited from cities around the country and receive full tuition scholarships at four-year universities.

Maurice Harris, dean of undergraduate admissions, Andria Costello Staniec, associate provost for academic programs, and Ryan Williams, associate vice president for enrollment management and director of scholarships and student aid, announced the most recent changes in a message sent on Monday to Posse Program participants.

“The changes were intended to ensure that all of our recruitment, financial aid and support programs that enhance our diversity along multiple dimensions are strong and sustainable over the long term,” the message said.

In addition to maintaining a Miami-based Posse Program serving 10 students, the university will also support 10 students in an Atlanta-based Posse Program for one more year. Outside of the changes to the Posse program, SU will also “pursue a new recruitment, support and retention program” for student veterans, according to the message.

Harris said in an email that the university has strong ties to the Los Angeles area, and said SU’s presence in Atlanta is also significant. That presence isn’t as strong in Miami, he said.

“While an important market for us, our institutional presence in the Miami market is not as significant as in Atlanta or Los Angeles, and our partnership with the Posse Program enables us to enhance our presence,” Harris said.

Staniec said in an email that the university had planned and budgeted for two Posse initiatives in 2015 — one with a city and one with veterans — but the Posse Foundation indicated they were unable to provide SU with a veterans Posse. As a result, Staniec said SU reassessed adding a second city and decided on Atlanta.

SU will not host a new Posse from Los Angeles in 2015, but it has other resources there to recruit students, Staniec said.

“Our infrastructure, including facilities and admissions personnel, is greater in Los Angeles and our commitment there is high so we focused our Posse efforts on Atlanta and Miami,” she said.

Harris added that Southern California represents the third largest pool of applications and enrolled students at SU.

Rather than partner with an organization other than Posse in Atlanta and Los Angeles over the long term, SU will focus on enhancing its recruiting efforts “for a highly inclusive student cohort from both regions,” according to the message sent to Posse participants.

Published on September 30, 2014 at 12:01 am

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