In reading yesterday's "Not by the numbers" editorial, I felt that there was an implied notion that because certain organizations have made a targeted effort to recruit minority students, the quality is somehow compromised. For the past two years, the University Judiciary Committee has made a dedicated effort in its outreach to minority communities because the application rates in the past had not been representative of the entire University. This does not mean that they have been accepting students who are not qualified, as this would be an unfair judgment on both the UJC and on the abilities and talents of minority applicants.
I agree, completely, that reaching racial parity should not be the end goal, but the means to an end. It is important to reach racial parity statistically, but it is equally important to have minority representation at the operational and theoretical levels of such university-wide organizations at U.Va. The Minority Rights Coalition will be undergoing a research effort in the coming weeks to assess the questions that arise with regards to student sentiments and perceptions of various organizations, first-year engagement, and as the article put it, "diversity in the higher echelons of management."\nI firmly believe that this is a positive step and can and should be the beginning of more conversations concerning minority engagement.
Heba K. Tellawi\nChair, Minority Rights Coalition
Read More
DUTTENHOFER: A case for a U.Va. degree, beyond the data
By Lucy Duttenhofer | 5 hours agoWhen considering the value of a University degree, the focus must shift away from narrow metrics that solely focus on the immediate return on the investment in an education from the University.
GARVIE: The University has 99 problems — let sustainability be one
By Adeline Garvie | YesterdayThis will lead to other universities — who have not already invested or focused on sustainability — to follow suit.
EDITORIAL: DOJ Agreement signed and institutional instability guaranteed
By Editorial Board | 5 days agoLast week, this Editorial Board was prepared to applaud Interim University President Paul Mahoney’s decision to reject the Trump administration’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.
