ALTHOUGH many try, few universities legitimately can consider themselves "public Ivies." The University certainly is one of them, if not the original. Let's hope it stays that way.
On January 10, a bill was introduced in the Virginia State House of Delegates calling for the ratio of in-state and out-of-state students to be mandated at a level of 25 to 75 percent in nearly all Virginia public institutions of higher learning (http://www.legl.state.va.us). Unfortunately, the University is one of the schools that would be affected. Although this issue often comes up for debate, it is worth noting once again that such a policy would destroy the unique character and intellectual fabric of our school. The policy proposed by this bill would have detrimental consequences for the University because it would vastly diminish the diversity of perspectives that the existing student population brings to Grounds.
We need not look far to see the potentially adverse effects of the proposal. There are good reasons for the University's strong rivalry with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - and not just because we used to beat them playing football and they used to beat us on the basketball court. UNC generally is considered a peer institution and typically attracts the same pool of high school applicants as the University. A unique distinction lies, however, in the type of student that UNC admission officials generally accept - homegrown boys and girls, well-heeled legacies and the occasional standout from some state north of the tobacco fields.
Not that this is a bad thing. UNC appears content with the demographical profile of their incoming freshman class. For all that the University and UNC appear to have in common, there are considerable differences in the student populations, and thus the quality of the institutions. Eighty-two percent of UNC's incoming freshman class resides in state, compared to the 68 percent of Virginians here (www.unc.edu, www.uva.edu).
Dramatic changes almost certainly would occur if the University faced a shift in the balance of the student population. Not only does someone trekking from Pennsylvania classify as out-of-state, but so too does the student flying in from Pakistan. More importantly for state legislators is the fact that regional diversity among in-state students is valuable and enriches our school. The best and the brightest out of state applicants will be less attracted to a University that is overwhelmingly Virginian. Under the strict and biased guidelines proposed by the House bill, more prospective students likely would end up at Harvard or another Ivy. It wouldn't take long before the open skies above the Lawn began turning a Carolina shade of blue.
Additionally, the financial impact of this bill is considerable because it reduces the high revenue out-of-state students provide for the school. The University will be squeezed and unable to provide the high quality education that it currently can afford to. In the end, a degree from this school will be worth less even to those who this bill seeks to favor.
The advent of this bill indicates that some legislators in Richmond are content to see the University become less prestigious. We can acknowledge the importance of affording in-state students the opportunity to attend schools that their parents' tax dollars fund. The fact remains that among strong public universities in the Commonwealth and across the country, the University of Virginia is a special case. We have a long and rich history that sets us apart from other schools. The unique and rigorous academic and social opportunities that exist at the University cause students of high caliber from all over the world to seek admittance here. This puts us in the company of Ivy League schools, an enviable place indeed.
It is imperative at this juncture that both the governor and the legislature recognize the implications of this plan and oppose it as it relates to the University. As a two-time alumnus of this school, but more importantly as chief executive of the Commonwealth, the governor should let the Board of Visitors consider the matter if it is to be investigated at all. Though the interests of Virginia citizens and taxpayers are of utmost significance, so too is the future of the University and its reputation.
I love this school for many of the reasons that all of you do - because it uniquely combines the aspects of a liberal arts education with the atmosphere and sense of community any fun-loving person desires. We are proud to be here, and many chose this school over seemingly more prestigious institutions for the very reason that it is unlike any other university out there. In the increasingly competitive market of colleges and universities, the General Assembly would be acting in grave error if it decided to numerically reshape this school.
Of course, the way things are going now, perhaps becoming just another ACC athletic powerhouse would make the constituents happy. But no one goes to Harvard for the sports, do they?
(Katherine Martini's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily.)
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