Diversity in One Direction?
It is a pity that neither the author of this article (see “An Appointment Under Scrutiny,” Sept. 7) nor his editor could be bothered to do their homework. Mr. Pluviose vastly overstated the enrollment of Georgia Perimeter College, a fact that could have been checked easily within a few moments. The Fall 2005 enrollment was 20,461, not 50,000. Also, GPC is not an “inner city” institution. None of its campuses are inner city, and a new campus under construction is located nearly 50 miles from downtown Atlanta. This new campus will be one of the largest within the GPC system, with a projected enrollment of 10,000 students — drawn primarily from well outside the city of Atlanta. Dr. McPhail’s remarks are not only inaccurate, but reek of sour grapes (as her “vastly more qualified” husband was not selected).
Dr. Belcher may have been “one of the most visible Black community college presidents in the nation,” but she was not highly popular at her own institution. Your story reflects an idea that because a minority was previously GPC’s president, that only another minority (African-American only) is entitled to the position in the future. Diversity only works in one direction, does it?
— Shawntavious Morgan
Clarkston, Ga.
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