Carnal Reason

The DoJ is threatening to sue Southern Illinois University, alleging its fellowship programs for minority and female students violate federal civil rights laws by discriminating against whites, men and others. Whatever could have given the Feds such an idea?

Pat McNeil, an assistant dean and administrator of the Underrepresented Fellowships Office, said she knows of no white students who have applied for the Bridge or Proactive Recruitment programs.

The Web site describing the Bridge program specifically says it is only open to members of underrepresented minority groups. Several white women who have “overcome hardship” have been awarded the Graduate Dean’s Fellowship, even though women outnumber men at the university. White men need not apply, however. “I’ll be upfront with you — no white male will get this award,” McNeil said.
Chicago Sun-Times

It is interesting that women are considered to be underrepresented, though they outnumber men both at SIU and in American universities overall.

Blacks and women are not the only beneficiaries of SIU’s illegal discrimination. It turns out that SIU even has a Latino scholarship fund. The amount offered is a paltry $750.

I am curious about one of the qualifications for the award: the recipient “Must be of Latino background (one parent must be full Latino or both parents must be at least half Latino)”. I love the expression “full Latino“, though I personally prefer “chulo“. I must admit I am disappointed that SIU caters to the mongrel offspring of half-breeds. But what exactly qualifies one as a Latino, full or otherwise? Do Cubans make the cut?

Back in my grad school days I looked into some scholarships. The Ford Foundation offered grants targeted at a laundry list of Latinos, including Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Nicaraguans, and a host of others. Cubans were conspicuously absent. A friendly professor confided that too many Cubans had the wrong sort of politics (anti-Castro) . I was proud to hear it.

Posted on November 13th, 2005 by pwyll
Filed under: Cuba, General