The Issue: A fellowship at Columbia University that the school can only offer to white students.
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We can’t ask Lydia C. Roberts if her intention was to block students of other races from getting the money or to give white students a better chance, but we can ask questions of the sponsors of thousands of other scholarships given today (“‘Whites Only’ Columbia $hock,” May 15).
Many scholarships have restrictions against white students. When my oldest two children were graduating high school, we researched scholarships. I didn’t find any for white students, yet I found hundreds that stipulated it had to go to a black, Hispanic, Asian or other minority student.
Why is this fellowship considered racist and not the thousands that have popped up since?
Some are set up for specific requirements. If you force them to be completely equal, then you no longer have scholarships for future farmers, teachers, musicians, the physically challenged, orphans, etc.
While I was frustrated with all the scholarships my children couldn’t apply for, that’s life. And that’s diversity.
Christine Fennes
West Hempstead
It may be wrong that a grant was left to Columbia with the stipulation that only white students may benefit, but it would also be wrong to disregard the wishes of the deceased.
Times and attitudes have changed. The fellowship has other stipulations, cutting out law students and non-Iowans. It’s likely no one would make those demands today, but these were Roberts’ demands.
If the school feels it cannot abide her wishes, then the grant should be passed off to a worthy charity and the fellowship discontinued.
Rae Mackenzie
Hoboken, NJ
This issue is not new. Black-only scholarships exist and are protested only by a few white students. Predominantly-black colleges offered white-only scholarships to compensate for black-only grants.
If university administrators had spines, this issue would disappear by admitting that racism is not limited to white people.Roy Bercaw
Cambridge, Mass.