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Changing your student body demographic

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  • Changing your student body demographic

    Probably the only program at a university (especially a private one) that brings in large numbers of minorities is college football. When a school cuts football, never again believe administrators constant calls for a diverse student body. They don't believe it. Former co-worker of mine, an African American from Cleveland, got me wise to a few things. He said always look at actions, not words, especially when it comes to universities and so-called diversity statements. He said what were their actions and who was taking action? In HPU's, WWU's, and APU's cases, decisions to cut football were made by middle aged to older white people. This isn't saying these people are racist; but they don't really believe in diversity either, even if they say so. I remember the Humboldt president getting really angry when someone said her actions were close to being racist. When she screamed back, I knew they had caught the elder white lady from an east coast private school background in a lie.

    When Pacific University brought back football in Forest Grove, Oregon, the biggest dissenter was a woman English prof. She said she didn't like how the student body had changed. She tried to guise it by saying something about aggressive football players. What she meant was too many minority men on campus. I checked her background, too, (ain't the internet great?), white, private school background.

    So remember diversity and acceptance isn't what administrators say, it's what they do.

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    • #3
      I think this is a relevant conversation. Far too often, and especially lately with APU and Humboldt dropping football, my wife has to listen to me vent about the state of small college football in the West. One thing I always bring up is the fact that playing a sport in college is the only way some of these young people have an opportunity to go to college (even on partial scholarships). More often than not, those who truly lose out on academic opportunities in college are people of color from low income areas. By dropping a sport that has ~100 or so students these schools are limiting the pool of potential students. If diversity is truly a concern then sports where the majority of student-athletes are people of color should not be dropped. Otherwise, campus diversity is not a primary concern. We hear a lot of people using buzz-words and talking about making positive changes yet their actions rarely, if ever, meet up with their words. Actions speak louder than words - always have and always will. I understand in this pandemic finances are tight and small colleges are having to make tough decisions but I have always been of the mindset that we as people can make things happen if we want it to happen. If a school is committed to offering opportunities for people of color on these college campuses then they'll figure it out.

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      • #4
        Thanks Pounder and Crusader for your interesting and excellent comments.

        I find the conversation relevant because universities at each and every turn talk about diversity, and that has been the buzzword for schools in the last 20 years.

        The same schools turn around and cut football at the drop of a hat, the program that brings the most diversity to campus.

        So again, I will not listen to their buzzwords or their words at all, I will look at their actions.

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        • #5
          OK, I have to disagree here a bit. If all of these administrators are not good, there are very few good ones, small colleges have a bunch of bad ones and everyone just moves on, why are they paid so much? If they suck, why pay them tons and tons of money?

          And yes, they should adhere to some of my standards. I'm an alum, a donor, I spend a lot in Monmouth going to football and basketball games, I've organized alumni events myself, why in the hell shouldn't I expect more from administrators, because they suck and there aren't many good ones? That's a cop-out and it gives them a free pass to be mediocre at their jobs.

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