A college education not an entitlement for the poor

In a Wildcat article by Rachael Myer, which ran March 5, it was proudly stated that "UA President Peter Likens promised about 101 Rose Elementary School students in February 1998 that their university tuition will be waived if they graduate high school and meet the regular admissions standards."

As touching a gesture as this may seem, I can't support it. The University of Arizona is an academic community, an institution for higher learning, not a refuge for the socially or financially destitute.

Certainly it is a wonderful thing to offer scholarships to underprivileged students, but those funds should be available only to the most academically superior students.

In this case, Dr. Likins has extended these highly coveted funds to students who are merely high school graduates. The university should not be a pasture in which high school graduates may passively graze, but rather a focused and sophisticated community of scholars. A college education is an honor and a privilege, not an entitlement.

These students may or may not be scholars, and therefore they may or may not help to promote the spirit of the academic community. Bulk admission of high school graduates will not serve those who actually pay for their tuition. It will slow down the pace of classes, and crowd out those who come here to learn.

Take a closer look at Dr. Likins' offer to these students. Maybe it's in their best interest but is it in the best interest of the academic community he is supposed to be leading? Where is his first loyalty - to the students and faculty, or to baby-kissing political ends?

Zachary Neal
Philosophy and Latin sophomore