6/18/2011: This is a great idea. From the Oregonian editorial board:
With college costs rising at alarming rates, this week’s offer from the University of Oregon to Jefferson High School graduates is a stunner: Free tuition. …
Last week, the University of Oregon announced a partnership with Portland Public Schools and Portland Community College. Jefferson students who earn a full year of college credit at PCC during high school or after graduation will be offered a three-year tuition scholarship to the University of Oregon. These students also must meet the UO’s admissions requirement of about a B average, and they must be eligible for federal Pell grants.
Generally speaking, students from families earning less than $50,000 are eligible for Pell grants. In a district with a 45 percent poverty rate, that covers a significant share of kids.
It’s a terrible idea. One high school in one area of Oregon! Guess which one? Of course, it’s racially discriminatory, among other problems. Doesn’t UO realize how passe this is? If it wants to do this, open it up to all low-income (Oregon) students, everywhere. Of course, that would cost real money. Should they raise tuition even more for all the others? Freeze faculty salaries for 10 years?
At least the money is going to students, not Charles Martinez at OIED. He’s fired, as of the end of June. Robin Holmes will be the interim VP.
Maybe the search will turn up someone who actually cares about increasing low SES enrollment?
Email your thoughts to the committee, VP Diversity Search vpdiv at uoregon.edu
In any case, this program is not perfect, it is progress.