The Boston University chapter of the College Republicans wanted to start a dialogue about racial preferences when members created a $250 Caucasian Achievement and Recognition Scholarship, the group president told ABC News.

Applicants, who must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher, must be at least one-quarter White.

“We believe that racial preferences in all their forms are perhaps the worst form of bigotry confronting America today,” reads the application

Joe Mroszczyk, group president, told ABC News the College Republicans are offering the scholarship to point out “how ridiculous it is to have any sort of racially based scholarship.”

He said there were plenty of “poor, White, academically gifted students”  who could use scholarship money set aside for minorities.

The group said it is following in the footsteps of the College Republicans at Roger Williams University, which also offered a $250 whites-only scholarship two years ago.

David Coreas, president of the Latino fraternity Phi Iota Alpha at BU, said race-based scholarships for minorities are necessary to allow them to compete with Whites who tend to have more advantages.

“We have to look at the situation honestly,” he is quoted as saying. “Caucasians tend to have a higher per capita income than Latinos and other minorities. We have to have scholarships to survive.”

The BU scholarship application has been online since Nov. 7, but there haven’t been any applicants yet, ABC News reported.

--Diverse Staff Reports

© Copyright 2008 by DiverseEducation.com

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