Quick Read: SMU and Southern Dallas County

[EastStang]

You walk around SE DC, you see lots of Georgetown hats, yet their student body may be even preppier than ours. Why the difference? Their basketball team was about the only winning hoops team in town. The Wizards sucked for years, Maryland was up and down, George Mason was a one year wonder, so Georgetown was the epitome of winners all of whom were not white. So, if SMU manages to win over the next four or five years in hoops at a consistently high level in hoops, you'll start to see a change.

[Rebel10]

You walk around SE DC, you see lots of Georgetown hats, yet their student body may be even preppier than ours. Why the difference? Their basketball team was about the only winning hoops team in town. The Wizards sucked for years, Maryland was up and down, George Mason was a one year wonder, so Georgetown was the epitome of winners all of whom were not white. So, if SMU manages to win over the next four or five years in hoops at a consistently high level in hoops, you'll start to see a change.

So you are saying that will help in enrollment at SMU of kids from the southern part of town?

[ghost]

The old perception is reality thing. If I am not mistaken SMU has a higher percentage of minority students on campus than UT and AGS. There are many other areas of the state that are diversified with deserving students. One needs to look further into the academic qualifications of the different high schools and their students. Is Desoto and others and the parents involved doing their best academically or is it with an emphasis on sports only? Truthfully, what do you think is the percentage of football players going to college whose first or equal focus is academics? They may say they want a degree but most don't have the preparation or desire to put in the extra effort it takes. Most but not all.

[Loyalredandblue]

The TCU program is a tactic schools are using to increase diversity. Since you can no longer offer an ethnically based scholarship, schools are "adopting" schools with large populations of students of color. SMU has a program with DISD. In a Gates Foundatin funded study, SMU had more DISD students enrolled than any orher private university. SMU has a specific scholarship for North Dallas high school students. Frankly this is an enrollment strategy, but must keep in mind student academic qualifications.

[Stallion]

The Supreme Court rulings limiting affirmative action policies apply only to state schools

[Loyalredandblue]

Wrong! It applies to any school getting Title IV aid. Missed this one counselor.

[Stallion]

The Bakke, Fisher and Hopwood cases and their progeny which limit affirmative action policies in admission decisions of public institutions (UT and Cal) do not apply to private schools. Title IX is a clear federal mandated statute that PROHIBITS discrimination on the basis of SEX and must be followed by all institutions receiving federal aid. Read the statute-its in black and white-if SMU wants to receive federal financial assistance it has to abide by Title IX-BUT Title IX says nothing about race, national origin, religion and I said nothing about Title IX. I mentioned Supreme Court affirmative action decision and was referencing the Bakke, Hopwood, Fisher type cases

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of SEX, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assist. (emphasis added)

[Loyalredandblue]

I am not talking Title IX, this is not athletically based. If SMU could provide scholarships based on race I am sure it would be considered. Check out other private schools receiving Title IV aid. Look for diversity scholarships based on race... None do. Not to mention that every not for profit must file a 990. On schedule E each school must disclose if scholarships discriminate based on race in any way on scholarships or financial aid.

Not trying to fight with you... Just saying these programs are not just for community outreach out of the goodness of the institution's heart, but are a direct and potentially successful way of increasing diversity on campuses. SMU does this too!

[SMU 86]

The old perception is reality thing. If I am not mistaken SMU has a higher percentage of minority students on campus than UT and AGS. There are many other areas of the state that are diversified with deserving students. One needs to look further into the academic qualifications of the different high schools and their students. Is Desoto and others and the parents involved doing their best academically or is it with an emphasis on sports only? Truthfully, what do you think is the percentage of football players going to college whose first or equal focus is academics? They may say they want a degree but most don't have the preparation or desire to put in the extra effort it takes. Most but not all.

When I was at SMU there were only around 250 African American students on campus as a whole. That included those from southern Dallas and all over the country. I would hope the numbers are better than that after 30 years. I may inquire to find out just to see if it is any better.

[couch 'em]

Total Fall 2012 Identified Minority Enrollment - 2,734

Hispanic - 1,081
Asian - 695
Black/African American - 662
American Indian/Alaska Native - 38
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander - 16
Two or more races - 242
Minority percentage of total enrollment - 25%
Minority percentage of undergraduates - 27.5%

[Puckhead48E]

You walk around SE DC, you see lots of Georgetown hats, yet their student body may be even preppier than ours. Why the difference? Their basketball team was about the only winning hoops team in town. The Wizards sucked for years, Maryland was up and down, George Mason was a one year wonder, so Georgetown was the epitome of winners all of whom were not white. So, if SMU manages to win over the next four or five years in hoops at a consistently high level in hoops, you'll start to see a change.

Bullets were not good (calling them Wizards when referencing the 80's-90's when Georgetown was any good shows you were never a local) but they still had some local support. You allude to it but don't give it the emphasis necessary. Yes, Georgetown was good, but more importantly in DC, Georgetown basketball was all black. No two ways about it. The school went for it because John Thompson made them stay and graduate (until AI, who signaled the beginning of the end). Now, they are just another team. Thompson got merch out in the community and tickets to schools and rec centers. He made a point of promoting the make-up of that team. They usually had 1 bench-riding 3-point shooter who they put in at junk time at the end of games, and that always got the student section cheering. Kids wearing Hoya hats was akin to rappers wearing Raiders hats....it wasn't because they were good, it was because of what they stood for.

[PonyKai]

lol you're telling someone they aren't a "local" when the referred to the Bullets as the Wiz Kids. O.K.

[Planter's Punch]

SMU offers scholarships to students in Dallas ISD:

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/communit ... as-isd.ece

[DiamondM]

FYI, lyalredandblue, Title IX is not just an athletic-related law. It applies to gender discrimination in all aspects of a university. Many of the legal actions dealing with how universities are dealing with sexual assault are being brought under Title IX.

Equality in athletic scholarships and athlete treatment is just one of many of the benefits of Title IX.

I know that this is a tangent to your point, but I just wanted to correct any misperceptions out there.

[Killen]

SMU offers scholarships to students in Dallas ISD:

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/communit ... as-isd.ece

For comparison sake,

SMU offered a total of 8 scholarships to DISD (read: minority) students

TCU offered 11 to Desoto HS alone - in addition to students at other local Arlington, FW, and Dallas ISD schools.

TCU is serious about recruiting/supporting local, minority students through full tuition scholarships. SMU and TCU will likely have the same % of minority enrollment, but we (SMU) just convince our kids to pay alot more $$$