THE UNIVERSITY'S class of 2015 is 120 students larger than the preceding year's class. The reason for this change is not merely a desire of the University to live by the old adage "the more the merrier." The development is instead an effect of Gov. Bob McDonnell's demand for state institutions to offer more degrees, as the recent class enlargement was part of the University's goal to add 1,500 students by 2019.
Just admitting more students, though, would not be not enough for Del. Timothy D. Hugo, R-Fairfax. Hugo advocates putting a limit on the percentage of students that are admitted to the University from out-of-state. In response to the recent expansion of the class of 2015, Hugo said, "I think they still have a long way to go," and indicated he will continue to push for a reduction in the number of non-Virginia students. Hugo has gone as far as sponsoring a piece of legislation that would cap the ratio of out-of-state students admitted at 25 percent, which is about 5 or 6 percent lower than the current ratio. It is natural for the majority of a state school's students to be from that state, since some of the funding for the institution comes from public sources. Nevertheless, the drastic change that Hugo is pushing for could threaten the University's good reputation.\nHugo has said the University has "a responsibility to Virginia students," but what of the University's responsibility to practice nondiscrimination?
According to its nondiscrimination policy, the University "does not discriminate in any of its programs, procedures, or practices on the basis of age, color, disability, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status." Yet there is nothing in this statement regarding geography. Establishing a quota for the admission of out-of-state students could force the University to deny admission on the basis of location, which is unfair to non-Virginia students who are worthy of attending the University.
The University has made great progress in the practice of nondiscrimination, considering its first attendees consisted of only white males. The first African-American student was not admitted until 1950, and although the first female student attended the University in 1893, undergraduate admissions were not fully open to women until 1972. Having made so much progress throughout its history by opening its doors to students of different genders and races, placing extreme restrictions on the number of out-of-state students would be a step backward for the University.
Creating a university that favors Virginia students too strongly is not only unfair to the non-Virginians who want to receive an education from what U.S. News and World Report deemed the 25th best-ranked national university in the nation, but also detracts from the competitiveness of the admissions process.
Because the Office of Admission does not have to worry about being legally obligated to admit a specific number of Virginia students, it can currently make selections based solely on merit, so that every student who gains admission possesses the academic aptitude and internal motivation that renders one worthy of being at the University. If a quota were established for the ratio of in-state to out-of-state students, the University could be forced to admit individuals it would deny under less constrained circumstances.
Some, like Hugo, may argue that because the University is a state institution, its obligation is to Virginia students first and foremost. It should be noted, however, that when the University first opened, most of its students were not from Virginia. According to the University's website, its founder wanted the school to have "national character and stature," an expectation the University has lived up to throughout the years.
Thomas Jefferson said, "Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." Would Jefferson, then, have wanted the makeup of students at his university to be potentially restricted based on geographic location?
I believe not. An institution that is recognized nationally for its merit should carry opportunities not just for the students of one state, but for accomplished and well-deserving students across the nation and world. Those of us who study here know how fortunate we are to be receiving this education, but also that we are here because of our hard work and fortitude. We are a group of high achievers, and the same should be true for the class that enters next year, and for every class that follows.
Katherine Ripley is a Viewpoint writer for The Cavalier Daily.
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