The College of Family and Consumer Sciences historically has been mostly female, and that trend shows little sign of changing.

Only about 12 percent of the students in the FCS college are male.

The college includes departments such as child and family services, dietetics, food science and textiles and clothing. Hotel, restaurant and institution management has the highest number of males, with 41 percent.

“It’s by far predominantly female,” said Matt Richter, sophomore in apparel merchandising, design and production.

Richter said there are very few males in classes related to his major. In classes of 70 to 100 people, he has often found himself to be one of the only men.

Carol Meeks, dean of the college, said FCS is a field men should want to be involved in.

“Because of the way the field has changed, I think there should be lots of opportunities for men,” she said. “Sixty percent of our graduates go into business. People think they all go into social service agencies, and they don’t.”

However, Diane Birt, professor and chair of food science and human nutrition, said men are recruited to go into the college.

“The population we recruit from is well-represented by men. We definitely do pitch to men and women,” she said.

However, Meeks said the college needs to try harder to recruit people in general.

“We are the smallest college on campus and, because our programs are less well known, I think we have to work harder,” she said.

Some males who are in the college said they don’t care that they’re in the minority.

“I don’t really pay attention,” said Marty Stroud, sophomore in food science.

Stroud said the number of men and women is about equal in his food science classes, while his other FCS classes are mostly female.

And while Meeks and Birt both said they would like to see more men in the college, Stroud said the college doesn’t need to change.

“Honestly, I think it’s good the way it is,” he said. “The majority of the guys I know couldn’t handle it.”

He also joked that there are the obvious advantages to being a man in the FCS college.

“Yes, I do brag to my engineering buddies about how many women are in the classes,” Stroud said.