To: American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
Hold Mount Holyoke College Accountable for Discriminatory Practices
This fall, Lynn Pasquerella — the current president of Mount Holyoke College— will take a greater leadership role as the President of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).
Make no mistake: Lynn Pasquerella’s appointment is no matter to celebrate. Her failure to embody the ideals of inclusiveness in the administration of academic programs at Mount Holyoke College is abhorrent. Lynn Pasquerella's actions not only fall short of Mount Holyoke’s and the AAC&U’s mission values of inclusiveness, but also violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I am demanding that the Association of American Colleges and Universities rescind Lynn Pasquerella’s appointment immediately as she poses a direct threat to access to higher education for ALL students, dreams the AAC&U and the American people envision to make realities for the future and betterment of our nation.
Make no mistake: Lynn Pasquerella’s appointment is no matter to celebrate. Her failure to embody the ideals of inclusiveness in the administration of academic programs at Mount Holyoke College is abhorrent. Lynn Pasquerella's actions not only fall short of Mount Holyoke’s and the AAC&U’s mission values of inclusiveness, but also violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I am demanding that the Association of American Colleges and Universities rescind Lynn Pasquerella’s appointment immediately as she poses a direct threat to access to higher education for ALL students, dreams the AAC&U and the American people envision to make realities for the future and betterment of our nation.
Why is this important?
My name is Siren Wills, and I am an American woman of color. Like many, I have used my education to fight and defy stereotypes I encounter daily. But like Maya Angelou's poem, "Still I rise." I have devoted my life to the service of others due to the many adversities I have personally faced.
Mount Holyoke College recently discouraged me from applying to its Frances Perkins Scholars program for nontraditional students based on my race. Seconds after disclosing my ethnicity and neighborhood, the director of the Frances Perkins program interrupted me mid-sentence to tell me I was not a fit for the incoming class and should not apply.
The reason she gave was that I already have a bachelor's degree, despite Mount Holyoke's website welcoming applicants with bachelor's degrees to apply to the Frances Perkins Scholars program, a program fully funded at a White House summit in 2014. After my disheartening phone call, Mount Holyoke’s administration changed the website to accommodate its discriminatory practices.
The administration even erased webpages on its student newspaper site. It is no coincidence that an article highlighting the achievements of a current Frances Perkins scholar who has already earned a bachelor’s degree was taken offline after I asked President Lynn Pasquerella to reconsider the decision and allow me to apply, citing this White student's bachelor degree as a reason my application should be welcomed.
By discouraging poor and African-American students from applying to Mount Holyoke, a college with stellar academics, first-class facilities, and fully funded educational programs, Lynn Pasquerella is condemning students to become held down by obstacles they are trying to overcome in seeking a prestigious education offered free to applicants deemed more desirable.
The AAC&U is a member organization of over 1300 colleges and universities. If Lynn Pasquerella becomes President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, a position currently held by an alumni of Mount Holyoke College, how many aspiring students will she discriminate against and exclude? How many young people will miss opportunities to contribute to society in careers only accessible to those with a college education? How many students will she condemn to an impoverished future?
Mount Holyoke College recently discouraged me from applying to its Frances Perkins Scholars program for nontraditional students based on my race. Seconds after disclosing my ethnicity and neighborhood, the director of the Frances Perkins program interrupted me mid-sentence to tell me I was not a fit for the incoming class and should not apply.
The reason she gave was that I already have a bachelor's degree, despite Mount Holyoke's website welcoming applicants with bachelor's degrees to apply to the Frances Perkins Scholars program, a program fully funded at a White House summit in 2014. After my disheartening phone call, Mount Holyoke’s administration changed the website to accommodate its discriminatory practices.
The administration even erased webpages on its student newspaper site. It is no coincidence that an article highlighting the achievements of a current Frances Perkins scholar who has already earned a bachelor’s degree was taken offline after I asked President Lynn Pasquerella to reconsider the decision and allow me to apply, citing this White student's bachelor degree as a reason my application should be welcomed.
By discouraging poor and African-American students from applying to Mount Holyoke, a college with stellar academics, first-class facilities, and fully funded educational programs, Lynn Pasquerella is condemning students to become held down by obstacles they are trying to overcome in seeking a prestigious education offered free to applicants deemed more desirable.
The AAC&U is a member organization of over 1300 colleges and universities. If Lynn Pasquerella becomes President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, a position currently held by an alumni of Mount Holyoke College, how many aspiring students will she discriminate against and exclude? How many young people will miss opportunities to contribute to society in careers only accessible to those with a college education? How many students will she condemn to an impoverished future?
How it will be delivered
I intend to email signatures to:
Carol Geary Schneider, President of the AAC&U, [email protected]
Tia Brown McNair, Vice-President, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success, [email protected]
and stage a press conference at:
American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
1818 R Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Ph: (202) 387-3760