What I meant to say was … - Feedback

University Business, April, 2003 by Jen Stevenson

Wow. I began the Marketing column ["Marketing to Students of Color"] in your March issue with some eagerness. I'm always interested in seeing how schools market themselves to different constituencies. I thought much of the column was fairly straightforward until I reached the end. Mr. Sevier points out that "when colleges package themselves for students of color, they should identify attractive aspects, such as the availability of African-American-related courses and majors, and tutoring services." First, there's the vaguely racist assumption that African-American prospective students are the only ones who would find the availability of African-American-related courses and majors attractive. Even worse, the author encourages colleges and universities to tout the availability of tutoring services! Good grief! As IHEs around the country wait to hear the Supreme Court's decision in the U Michigan case, how fitting that Mr. Sevier reinforces the particular need of tutoring for African-American students. His statement validates every argument that African-American students being admitted to colleges and universities are less qualified than their classmates. How deeply insulting. If a college had promoted the availability of tutoring services to me when I chose a college 10 years ago, I certainly would have filed that viewbook in the round file.

JEN STEVENSON, Asst. Dir., Development & Alumni/ae Relations Meadville/Lombard Theological School Chicago, IL

From Bob Savior: The writer offers some good points. However, I also suggest that a college or university offer special support for all students who might need it--regardless of color or ability. Because this column focused solely on recruiting students of color, the comments were focused as well, but should be taken in the larger context of meeting the needs of all students, as often as possible.