Washington and Lee v Kenyon v Hamilton

[Anonymous]

I don't remember any pink hair students when we visited Hamilton. We liked it, my kid got in and they were very supportive, even hooking her up with an alumni in the area for further questions after she was accepted.

Washington & Lee... well I always thought of it as a southern fratty school and then I met a foreign-born, educated, very progressive young woman who graduated from there. I was surprised and she explained to me that even though there was in fact a southern drinking culture, the school was also quite generous and supportive of her and she was able to spend a year abroad and finance a research trip on their dime. She made the most of four years and had a wonderful education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Better have the stats to even consider these three. Kenyon is probably the most diverse.

Kenyon is indeed the most diverse. And if you've been around the campus in the non-pandemic era you'd observe a remarkably non-diverse campus. That's the problem with many of these SLACs. They just don't have the scholarship money to have a truly diverse student body.

[Anonymous]

Washington and Lee is at least 30 years behind other SLACs when it comes to diversity. It is the least diverse SLAC by a wide margin.

Board of Directors - 10% POC
Senior Admin Leadership - 10% POC
College Faculty - 10% POC
Students - 20% SOC

W&L enthusiastically promoted the Lost Cause until recently when the focus changed to contextualizing it's "complicated history". Post George Floyd, the BoD weighed a decision to change the name of the school. The decision, which is mainly financial, balances the need to remain relevant to students who are seeking a diverse learning environment versus the need to placate well-heeled alumni who actively opposed integration in the 60s and coeducation in the 80s.

With history as a guide and led by a 90% white and affluent BoD, the college will likely drag its feet relative to progress and assert that the necessary changes that need to take place can't happen without the proper resources. The name will likely stay with additional dollars thrown at diversity initiatives in order to buy time. Until the impact of inaction to tuition revenue surpasses the promise of alumni revenue there is little reason to believe W&L will live up to their motto of "Not Unmindful of the Future" (taken from the Lee Family Crest) and disassociate from their association with the "Lost Cause".

[Anonymous]

Back up your assertion regarding enthusiastic promotion of the "Lost Cause." You seem to be reading in things to support your own view.

[Anonymous]

The greatest efforts made by the defeated insurgents since the close of the war have been to promulgate the idea that the cause of liberty, justice, humanity, equality, and all the calendar of the virtues of freedom, suffered violence and wrong when the effort for southern independence failed. This is, of course, intended as a species of political cant, whereby the crime of treason might be covered with a counterfeit varnish of patriotism, so that the precipitators of the rebellion might go down in history hand in hand with the defenders of the government, thus wiping out with their own hands their own stains; a species of self-forgiveness amazing in its effrontery, when it is considered that life and property—justly forfeited by the laws of the country, of war, and of nations, through the magnanimity of the government and people—was not exacted from them.

— George Henry Thomas, November 1868 [a Virginian who fought for the Union in the war]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are tiny schools and incredibly desolate towns. They’re very different politically and socially, but they still need a student that can get lost in their own college world for four years to survive there.

Many LACs are in small towns. It's a different experience, compared to the experience at a large university, but very rewarding for the right students.

How do you define "right student"?

I'm not the PP you're quoting, but I'd say the "right student" is happy to be among a handful of spectators cheering on her roommate at a soccer game, as opposed to being in a huge crowd at big-time sports school. The "right student" would enjoy just hanging out with a few friends on a Saturday night and watching a movie, rather than going to a restaurant or bar. There's nothing wrong with being the student who doesn't want the SLAC scene . . . different strokes, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All these are tiny schools and incredibly desolate towns. They’re very different politically and socially, but they still need a student that can get lost in their own college world for four years to survive there.

Which SLACs are not in incredibly desolate towns?

[Anonymous]

https://my.wlu.edu/presidents-office/issues-and-initiatives/institutional-history/working-group-on-african-american-history/timeline-of-african-americans-at-wandl

Not a proud history including refusing to allow MLK to speak on campus in 1961. That didn't age well, did it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are tiny schools and incredibly desolate towns. They’re very different politically and socially, but they still need a student that can get lost in their own college world for four years to survive there.

Which SLACs are not in incredibly desolate towns?

Macalester,Trinity, Davidson, Reed, Claremont Consortium, for example

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://my.wlu.edu/presidents-office/issues-and-initiatives/institutional-history/working-group-on-african-american-history/timeline-of-african-americans-at-wandl

Not a proud history including refusing to allow MLK to speak on campus in 1961. That didn't age well, did it?

Of course not but lots of things 60 years old didn’t age well. Can’t really say that is evidence of the school embracing the lost cause either given how long ago it was. Lots of talk, no support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Washington and Lee is at least 30 years behind other SLACs when it comes to diversity. It is the least diverse SLAC by a wide margin.

Board of Directors - 10% POC
Senior Admin Leadership - 10% POC
College Faculty - 10% POC
Students - 20% SOC

W&L enthusiastically promoted the Lost Cause until recently when the focus changed to contextualizing it's "complicated history". Post George Floyd, the BoD weighed a decision to change the name of the school. The decision, which is mainly financial, balances the need to remain relevant to students who are seeking a diverse learning environment versus the need to placate well-heeled alumni who actively opposed integration in the 60s and coeducation in the 80s.

With history as a guide and led by a 90% white and affluent BoD, the college will likely drag its feet relative to progress and assert that the necessary changes that need to take place can't happen without the proper resources. The name will likely stay with additional dollars thrown at diversity initiatives in order to buy time. Until the impact of inaction to tuition revenue surpasses the promise of alumni revenue there is little reason to believe W&L will live up to their motto of "Not Unmindful of the Future" (taken from the Lee Family Crest) and disassociate from their association with the "Lost Cause".

This post was written by a W&L alum. It’s a common view in the alumni and university community.

[Anonymous]

Is it surprising that a SLAC with Robert E Lee as the namesake woefully trails peers with respect to diversity? It is hard to decide which is more offensive to the senses of potential faculty and students. Robert E Lee buried on campus or the stench of entitlement that emanates from an increasingly marginalized and venerable white, male alumni.

[Anonymous]

Why are people hung up on diversity it is of no academic concern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are tiny schools and incredibly desolate towns. They’re very different politically and socially, but they still need a student that can get lost in their own college world for four years to survive there.

Which SLACs are not in incredibly desolate towns?

Macalester,Trinity, Davidson, Reed, Claremont Consortium, for example

Occidental, Wellesley

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these are tiny schools and incredibly desolate towns. They’re very different politically and socially, but they still need a student that can get lost in their own college world for four years to survive there.

Which SLACs are not in incredibly desolate towns?

Macalester,Trinity, Davidson, Reed, Claremont Consortium, for example

Occidental, Wellesley

Not in a good area.