Not understanding the logic of why only historically black colleges and a university for women can provide accessible, affordable education for minorities and women. I know this story hits the left's sweet spot, but these schools are duplicative and basically mediocre. You'd do the afflicted groups more good by concentrating on the good schools and preparing students to enter them and helping them pay for it.
@quotidian: As a student at an HBCU, I completely disagree with you. Though I never planned on attending a historically black institution, I found it hard to resist the full scholarship offer. The students here who received this scholarship are national merit and achievement scholars. Things don't run as smoothly here and other HBCUs as they may at better funded schools, but I've not found my education lacking. Knowing we have to fight against the presumption that we're receiving a mediocre education, the professors stress that we must know everything expected of us and much more.
As for those who are not here for the same reasons as I am, they are offered the chance to get a college education when, yes, they probably wouldn't have been accepted to many other places. I don't see a problem with that. The fact is, these schools are educating most of the black college grads in the country. Closing them down would obviously leave a void in opportunity.
@quotidian: As a student of MUW, I also completely disagree with you. Our tuition is thousands of dollars less that MSU's, despite the fact that the atmosphere of MUW, which is much more like that of a private college with no classes over 25 or 30 people, is simply preferable to some students. Mississippi University for Women, which has admitted both men and women for almost thirty years, was the first public university for women in the country and has a thriving women's studies program as well as the only culinary arts institute in Mississippi. We also have a 12:1 student faculty ratio, a beautiful, charming campus, and traditions that have been going on for over a hundred years. Mississippi State University has none of these things. MUW is a wonderful school, and is a much better option for a lot of us, not just the "afflicted groups," though I guess the inexpensive tuition and emphasis on women is a plus for them too?
The argument for programs "pulling their financial weight" is why only PE is taught in redneck schools. You think Arithmetic pulls its own weight? When is the last time you went out and bought a ticket for one?
@MisterMustard: I'm from Mississippi, and I grew up in the suburbs. Not at all third world, I'm afraid. I will agree that there are parts of the Mississippi Delta that are horribly impoverished, and perhaps that's what you're thinking of, but the entire state is by no means like that.
@SouthernSatine: I am from the MS Delta and I do agree that the area has impoverished parts, but that is also a valid reason to keep these smaller universities open. The majority of MS residents can't afford to attend the larger universities which also have larger tuition rates. Financial aid doesn't always cover the entire amount.
Perhaps the courts will have to step-in, but what I found somewhat troubling in the linked article is the way, the prose and quotes kept referring to the affected institutions as "black colleges".
As Pareene points out and the article occasionally admits, they are "historically black colleges". To simply call them "black", sort of screams separate, but equal.
@Gregoire: He looks like W Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, who was gubenator of Texas who also sold wheat grit flour over the radio, with music provided by such as Bob Wills and the Texas Plowboys. They moved him to Mississippi when they did up the movie of his life and called it "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
I hate to agree with Haley Barbour on anything, but Hillman College students never seemed busy enough for me. I mean, how did Dwayne Wayne not fail out?
Seriously, though, is there one new idea among this whole lot, adding in Mitch McConnell, John Bo(eh)ner, Bobby Jindal and anyone else self-identifying as GOP? Christ, I'm perfectly to having a functioning second (or third, etc.) party, but you've got to give me more than "Laffer Curve!" "Double Gitmo!" and "Hey you over there: stop that fucking!"
Everyone thought Palin's family was a neverending source of entertainment and controversy. If Mike Huckabee ever became a viable Republican candidate, I couldn't imagine what the press and blogosphere would dig up on his color-coordinating brood of yokels:
@atlasfugged: One of them (I shudder to think which) tortured and killed and dog when he was 19. Well, let's say he got busted. )Which means how many times did he not get busted?) The gov' made it go away. Wonder if he's graduated to serial killing humans yet.
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As for those who are not here for the same reasons as I am, they are offered the chance to get a college education when, yes, they probably wouldn't have been accepted to many other places. I don't see a problem with that. The fact is, these schools are educating most of the black college grads in the country. Closing them down would obviously leave a void in opportunity.
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God damn
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New GOP motto: If it ain't swinging from a tree, there's no racism to see!
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As Pareene points out and the article occasionally admits, they are "historically black colleges". To simply call them "black", sort of screams separate, but equal.
11/18/09
So the only remaining program will be football?
11/18/09
11/18/09
@Gregoire: He looks like W Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, who was gubenator of Texas who also sold wheat grit flour over the radio, with music provided by such as Bob Wills and the Texas Plowboys. They moved him to Mississippi when they did up the movie of his life and called it "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
11/18/09
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