Whites Only Scholarship

[Dreadsox]

New scholarship created for whites only
Sunday, February 15, 2004 Posted: 6:46 PM EST (2346 GMT)

Roger Williams University

Rhode Island

Minority Groups

BRISTOL, Rhode Island (AP) -- A student group at Roger Williams University is offering a new scholarship for which only white students are eligible, a move they say is designed to protest affirmative action.

The application for the $250 award requires an essay on "why you are proud of your white heritage" and a recent picture to "confirm whiteness."

"Evidence of bleaching will disqualify applicants," says the application, issued by the university's College Republicans.

Jason Mattera, 20, who is president of the College Republicans, said the group is parodying minority scholarships.

"We think that if you want to treat someone according to character and how well they achieve academically, then skin color shouldn't really be an option," he said. "Many people think that coming from a white background you're automatically privileged, you're automatically rich and your parents pay full tuition. That's just not the case."

The stunt has angered some at the university, but the administration is staying out of the fray. The school's provost said it is a student group's initiative and is not endorsed by Roger Williams.

Mattera, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is himself a recipient of a $5,000 scholarship open only to a minority group.

"No matter what my ethnicity is, I'm making a statement that scholarships should be given out based on merit and need," Mattera told the Providence Journal.

His group took out a full-page ad in last week's issue of the university's student newspaper to tout the scholarship, which was for $50 until two donors came forward to add $100 each during the weekend, Mattera said.

It's not the first brush with controversy for the group. The school temporarily froze the Republicans' money in the fall during a fight over a series of articles published in its monthly newsletter. One article alleged that a gay-rights group indoctrinates students into homosexual sex.

 

[Liesje]

"We think that if you want to treat someone according to character and how well they achieve academically, then skin color shouldn't really be an option," he said. "Many people think that coming from a white background you're automatically privileged, you're automatically rich and your parents pay full tuition. That's just not the case."

I agree with this entirely and have had this experience myself. My friend got three free college credits (byt doing a free summer program for minorities) and a $3000 scholarship because she was adopted from Bangladesh. Never mind that she grew up in a white household with caucasian customs, her parents were paying her tuition, and then she flunked out her first semester.

I also think it's interesting that the president of the group is not caucasian. Too bad the scholarship is only $250 and too bad they're going to get flamed for "racism"

 

[Dreadsox]

I know for a FACT that the last paragraph is not 100% true.

 

[Dreadsox]

I agree with this entirely and have had this experience myself:



I also think it's interesting that the president of the group is not caucasian. Too bad the scholarship is only $250 and too bad they're going to get flamed for "racism"

He is a brilliant student from what I know. He recruited one of my best students into the Republican group last fall. That is how I know that the last paragraph is not 100% accurate.

 

[Liesje]

You mean the part about homosexuals? I don't care about that even if it were true, since it really has nothing to do with the rest of the article. I just think the article raises a REALLY good point, especially for the place I go to school. It's a smaller private school that brings in a lot of Dutch CRC people from the area. It seems like there's more minority scholarships than all the rest combined.

Here we have a Mosaic scholarship for minorities where they get $$ and all live on the same floor. So not only does my school hoard all the money for minorities, but they keep them all together in the same hall! How diverse And what's more, the Mosaic scholarship is $3000 requires only a 2.5 GPA, while the standard college issued scholarship of $3500 requires a 3.5 GPA.

Another thing is that most of the minority students here are really rich. A lot are from Africa or Asia, I even have a friend whose dad is a Mayor in a Latin-American country. So these guys never pay a CENT of their tuition or have to work a single minute. I realize this is not the case at most universities, but around here a LOT of people are pissed off b/c we're being passed over for being white. Like I said above, my friend got 3 free credits and $3000 and her high school GPA was probably 2.5 while I worked me arse off in high school and graduated with a 3.9 GPA, honors, and four sportsmanship-esque titles and the only money I got was a scholarship you get based on GPA. I'm still here, struggling to work, go to school, and pay my bills and my non-caucasian friend flunked out wasting $3000 of the school's money and about $10000 of her parent's.

 

[meegannie]

One of my good friends (though haven't talked to her in ages!) goes to law school there. I have a Roger Williams t-shirt I always wear around the house.

 

[anitram]

Well, a lot of minority scholarships are given out by minority groups who have a special interest in promoting young people of a particular ethnicity or race. I distinctly remember dozens of scholarships only available to French students in Canada; a minority in the country, most of whom reside in Quebec. Likewise, there were scholarships for people of Irish backgrounds, South Asian, Middle Eastern, etc. Some even stipulated you would have to enrol in a specific major pertaining to those groups in order to qualify for the money.

I myself was the recipient of multiple scholarships because I graduated with the highest average in my high school, and I think it was something like 4th highest regionally. One of my scholarships was awarded from a group affiliated with the UN which awards money to female students in the life sciences. I will not name the organization, but clearly there, I benefitted through my gender. Another scholarship I received was specifically aimed at Catholic youth with an exemplary volunteering record, so again, I benefitted through my religion.

I'm white, mixed ethnicity, and I didn't mind not being eligible for some scholarships, and being eligible for others.

 

[Liesje]

Well, a lot of minority scholarships are given out by minority groups who have a special interest in promoting young people of a particular ethnicity or race.

This is fine. Families, organizations, etc are allowed to give the scholarship to whoever they pick b/c it's their money. I just think it's rediculous that my school holds whites to such higher standards than minorities and assumes that minorities need more finiancial aid. The scholarshiped doled out by the school's financial aid dept. should hold everyone to the same academic standards and not even consider skin color.

 

[anitram]

You don't mean to tell me that you believe that a white, affluent kid attending an exclusive, expensive private high school, while residing in the Upper West Side has had the same advantages in life as a kid born to a welfare mother in the heart of Harlem? Come on now.

Those two children will have completely different educational experiences, they will be brought up in different environments and you cannot simply homogenize their experiences for the sake of arguing that race shouldn't be made a factor.

Race is a factor and it's going to be a factor in the country so long as all people are not equal.

 

[Liesje]

You don't mean to tell me that you believe that a white, affluent kid attending an exclusive, expensive private high school, while residing in the Upper West Side has had the same advantages in life as a kid born to a welfare mother in the heart of Harlem? Come on now.

No, not at all. See my original post where I said I was talking about MY school, which is unlike larger universities.

 

[melon]

It's not the first brush with controversy for the group. The school temporarily froze the Republicans' money in the fall during a fight over a series of articles published in its monthly newsletter. One article alleged that a gay-rights group indoctrinates students into homosexual sex.

Racism and homophobia? My, what things "College Republicans" learn, and why "compassionate conservatism" is nothing more than a feel-good notion.

Melon

 

[Kristie]

Race is a factor and it's going to be a factor in the country so long as all people are not equal.

It's going to remain a factor as long as there's scholarships based on race.

If they're going to give a scholarship in an attempt to give disadvantaged students a boost in life, they should do it by economic or geographic status, not race.

There's priviliged, affluent African-American kids attending private high schools, just as there's poor white kids born to welfare mothers in the heart of Harlem.

 

[Angela Harlem]

I agree with this entirely and have had this experience myself. My friend got three free college credits (byt doing a free summer program for minorities) and a $3000 scholarship because she was adopted from Bangladesh. Never mind that she grew up in a white household with caucasian customs, her parents were paying her tuition, and then she flunked out her first semester.

I also think it's interesting that the president of the group is not caucasian. Too bad the scholarship is only $250 and too bad they're going to get flamed for "racism"

The part of the article you quoted and what you wrote here I agree with. There is still a problem however within these minority groups which starts all this in the first place. I get angered by preferential treatment based solely on colour and ethnic background NOT because it is unfair, but because it still ends up lumping everyone together. I'll use Australia as an example as I know more about this than areas of America. If you are Aboriginal or of Torres Strait Islander descent, you get preferential treatment. Automatically in a lot of cases. This is good. It does not however, seperate those who in this particular group are in need of financial and welfare assistance. Not all Aboriginals are poor, living on the streets, uneducated and in need of another form of benefit. To give them blanket preferential treatment causes harm in feeding the attitudes of the ignorant that they are not as worthy members of society. Aid does need to be given to individuals in this group. As it does for single mothers in poor white areas too. To lump all whites together means missing out some genuine cases where such assistance would be a God send, and to do the same with our own minority groups means that there is the continued assumption being made they are all fitting some stereotype of dire need. This dire need exists in a certain percentage, perhaps it is most, perhaps at least a lot of them, who knows. The point is assistance needs to be given directly where it is required and not based on colour which will always have exceptions to the rule.

 

[Liesje]

To give them blanket preferential treatment causes harm in feeding the attitudes of the ignorant that they are not as worthy members of society.

Exactly, and this is why I have beef with affirmitive action. But I agree with everything you said in that post.

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

The point is assistance needs to be given directly where it is required and not based on colour which will always have exceptions to the rule.

I agree with that. At my uni there were scholarships for Aboriginal and TSI, people from rural areas, non-English speaking backgrounds, and females in non-traditional fields. Fair enough, but none of these mentioned being disadvantaged educationally or having low income.

Now, there could be an Aboriginal female coming from Weipa in far north Queensland, wanting to study engineering and having grown up speaking a language other than English. Thus she would qualify for all 4 categories. But we don't know that she doesn't have a wealthy uncle who paid for her private school education in Singapore and bought her family a luxury house.

On the other hand, you could have a Caucasian male, who grew up in Brisbane. English is his first language and he wants to study nursing. He doesn't fall into any of the categories above, but, again, we don't know that he hasn't been homeless for half his life, and that he has to live off welfare.

My point is, if scholarships continue to be based on economics - that is, the fact that they pay for the tuition - they need to be based on a person's economic circumstances. Yes, in many cases Indigenous people are poorer, and many rural people are too. But not always.

I grew up, as a Caucasian in the suburbs, and as a female who studied history and geography. I had to defer my HECS payment because I couldn't pay it all upfront, but apart from that I've not had any problems economically through uni (because fortunately I'm still able to live at home). If I had decided I wanted to study engineering, I could've gotten a scholarship. Not based on how well I did at the school, but simply because I'd be a female in a non-traditional field.

So, basically I'm paraphrasing what Angela Harlem said. Scholarships should be based on merit. Give them to a smart person who can't afford to go to uni themselves. The fact that they fall into any of the above categories should be irrelevant.

 

[melon]

It's going to remain a factor as long as there's scholarships based on race.

If they're going to give a scholarship in an attempt to give disadvantaged students a boost in life, they should do it by economic or geographic status, not race.

There's priviliged, affluent African-American kids attending private high schools, just as there's poor white kids born to welfare mothers in the heart of Harlem.

You want to know the difference? When they offer black scholarships, they aren't doing it to "stick it to Whitey"; they do it to advance a historically disadvantaged minority. When there are "white scholarships," though, it, inevitably, is offered by a group looking for controversy. It isn't to help advance white students; it's always to poke fun at minority scholarships, and, as you find out later, the same group, inevitably, has a poor record on other minority groups (read: homophobia, for instance).

Scholarships *only* work when targeted to subordinate hegemonic groups. Making a "black scholarship" in Africa would make zero sense, because that is where blacks are the dominant hegemony. At the same token, making a "white scholarship" in the U.S., Europe, or Australia is equally ridiculous. The only feasible run-around on this reality is to issue scholarships on subordinate groups that affect whites, like issuing a scholarship to someone of Irish descent or any specific European nationality within the United States. Now, of course, you couldn't offer an "Irish descent" scholarship in Ireland, because that's where they are the dominant hegemony, and, thus, it will be perceived as racist to the non-Irish living in Ireland.

This is why "white scholarships" will never ever ever ever ever go over well in the United States, because they shouldn't.

Melon

 

[melon]

Scholarships should be based on merit. Give them to a smart person who can't afford to go to uni themselves. The fact that they fall into any of the above categories should be irrelevant.

This is a contradiction. You start out with a merit-based scholarship and then you end with need-based. You can't have it both ways..

Needless to say, there are both open to white students, even if it doesn't have a "white scholarship" attachment to it.

Melon

 

[Dreadsox]

You want to know the difference? When they offer black scholarships, they aren't doing it to "stick it to Whitey"; they do it to advance a historically disadvantaged minority. When there are "white scholarships," though, it, inevitably, is offered by a group looking for controversy. It isn't to help advance white students; it's always to poke fun at minority scholarships, and, as you find out later, the same group, inevitably, has a poor record on other minority groups (read: homophobia, for instance).

Respectfully I disagree. Not about the controversy part of it. When the Republican group ahs been censored on campus at RWC, I can see them attempting to stir up controversy. There will be a debate in the student body Senate over this. As a teacher I look at this as a good thing, because the STUDENTS will be participating in their community (IE College) government. What a wonderful way to excersize their abilities to discuss, debate, and decide if this is appropriate.

What I disagree with is the notion that onlyblacks are disadvantaged. There are many who are disadvantaged in this country and quite frankly, color of the skin does not equal disadvantaged. Economics to me makes one disadvantaged, and there are many economically disadvantaged people.

I wish they had not put the "evidence of bleaching" line into the application. It definitely bolsters the impression that they are poking fun, or being racists. That bothers me. Take the line out...is it a serious issue? Is it something that should be looked at? Why shouldn't all scholarships be based on NEED and on ACADEMIC MERIT?

Right now I am horrified at the amount of money put into Special Education. This is not to say that Special Education is not a necessary program. However there is ZERO money for more gifted students. The first programs that go when we cut school budgets are programs that are designed to help more gifted students along. Why? Which program will benefit society more in the long run? All students are NOT equally gifted. All students can learn, yes, and they deserve the right to an education. But we hold back the gifted students making them work at the other students pace. This helps society how? I have third graders in my classroom from the "projects" that can be doing fifth grade math right now! They should be slowed down why? And when scholarships are awarded, they may or may not be eligible why?

Poverty is colorblind. Our scholarships should be too.

 

[Dreadsox]

[Q]Some have accused the College Republicans of being disingenuous in making a stand against minority scholarships, noting that Mattera himself is the recipient of a scholarship open only to a minority group.

Mattera, who is of Puerto Rican descent, readily acknowledges that he was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the Hispanic College Fund.

He said he was given the money because of his academic achievement and plays down the role his ethnicity played in the funds being awarded.

Mattera also contends that his ethnic background only strengthens his position.

matter what my ethnicity is, I'm making a statement that scholarships should be given out based on merit and need," Mattera told The Providence Journal.http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2004/02/16/students_promote_whites_only_award/

 

[Dreadsox]

More to the picture.....

There was a guest speaker at the campus.....read on:

[Q]The group took out a full-page ad in last week's issue of the university's student newspaper to advertise the scholarship, which was for $50 until two donors came forward to add $100 each during the weekend, Mattera said.

The ad also publicized the visit on Wednesday of Reginald Jones, a critic of affirmative action.

He was invited, the Republicans said, in observance of Black History Month. A poster about his visit says "Black History Month is a ploy to spread socialism."

The topic of Jones's lecture Wednesday evening is "How the civil-rights movement destroyed the black community."
[/Q]

 

[Dreadsox]

This man is awarding the scholarship on Wednesday night!

 

[BVS]

Why shouldn't all scholarships be based on NEED and on ACADEMIC MERIT?

So how is creating an only white scholarship furthering this cause? Poking fun at this issue in this manner is not the way to accomplish this, it will just further those who already believe that college Republican groups are racists.

It's a very imperfect system that needs to be restructured in order to accomodate for those who are disadvantaged.

 

[BVS]

This man is awarding the scholarship on Wednesday night!

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this guy probably doesn't have a lot of fans in the black community.

Although I'd be interested in hearing his lecture.

 

[Liesje]

So how is creating an only white scholarship furthering this cause? Poking fun at this issue in this manner is not the way to accomplish this, it will just further those who already believe that college Republican groups are racists.

Agreed, poking fun is not the bet way to handle the situation, but at least it draws attention to it. I know at my school, if I really wanted people to consider this issue, I'd have to do something really rediculous or radical. As for racism, if people feel better assuming that the Republican groups are racists, then that's another issue entirely. I don't think groups should have to worry about what they do or don't do because someone might wrongfully assume that they are supporting racism. The group is not mocking minorities, they're mocking school policy and how it is a misrepresentation of minorities AND whites.

 

[BVS]

The group is not mocking minorities, they're mocking school policy and how it is a misrepresentation of minorities AND whites.

No I think they crossed that line with statements like;

""why you are proud of your white heritage" and a recent picture to "confirm whiteness."

"Evidence of bleaching will disqualify applicants," says the application, issued by the university's College Republicans.""

 

[nbcrusader]

Scholarships should be merit-based or need-based. Race-based scholarships will only further divide.

 

[Dreadsox]

it will just further those who already believe that college Republican groups are racists.

That is something that I agree with you on. But is this the intent, or the slant that is being placed upon the situation. It is easier to label them racists and blow off their concerns, rather than deal with the issue.

That is why I am excited that there is a studeny body senate having meetings on this tomorrow night. The kids are handling this better than the media and the school.

 

[BVS]

That is something that I agree with you on. But is this the intent, or the slant that is being placed upon the situation. It is easier to label them racists and blow off their concerns, rather than deal with the issue.

I think the manner in which they brought about the issue cheapens their concerns. It would be hard for me to believe their intentions were for the equality of people were real.

That is why I am excited that there is a studeny body senate having meetings on this tomorrow night. The kids are handling this better than the media and the school.

I'm glad the kids are dealing with it in a senate setting as well.

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

This is a contradiction. You start out with a merit-based scholarship and then you end with need-based. You can't have it both ways..

Melon

Sure I can. I just didn't explain it very well! Give scholarships to smart people (thus giving them on merit) who can't afford to go to uni otherwise (which is giving them on need).

A singularly merit based scholarship could give someone who is smart but rich something which they could easily afford themselves.

A needs-based scholarship could help out a poor person, but they mightn't do well at uni, which then means the scholarship is a bit of a waste.

So of course you can have merit/needs based scholarships! Imo they make a lot more sense.

 

[Liesje]

""why you are proud of your white heritage" and a recent picture to "confirm whiteness."

OK, the picture and bleaching comment was rediculous and I'm not sure where they were going with that, but I don't see the harm in being asked to comment on white heritage. Many scholarships offered to minorities ask them to comment on their heritage. Just because someone is proud of who they are doesn't give anyone else the right to automatically assume they're a racist.