Recently, a letter in the Williams Record argued that Williams should change its admissions policy in unnecessary ways, including a recommendation that the college admit fewer students from under-represented groups. We strongly disagree, and submitted the following letter in response.
It sounds so easy: drop a few dozen mostly low-income and minority students, admit more students with very high SAT scores, and voila! excellence achieved. Who needs a whole Admissions Office working year-round to identify the students who can contribute to making Williams the vibrant, challenging, transformative place we all want it to be, and convincing them that Williams is the right place for them? Just run it by numbers! But this model would be morally wrong and educationally corrupt. We, the undersigned faculty and staff, reject unequivocally the idea of defining educational value in terms of quantitative measures that are non-definitive at best, biased at worst. The notion that Williams is somehow sacrificing excellence for economic and racial diversity is offensive; more than that, it’s absurd. Those of us who have been here a long time know that the opposite is true: the harder the college has worked to recruit and admit students who are genuinely diverse in backgrounds and perspectives–and then to make sure that they can thrive here–the more intellectually stimulating our academic environment has become.
We reject as unhealthy, dangerous, and, in the case of Williams, thankfully inaccurate the notion of a purely linear ranking of “quality” when it comes to the young people who apply for and attend college. Williams and other institutions of higher education should model another paradigm in which the value of whole people and of many-faceted experience is paramount. In these times, when hate, bias, power-mongering, and self-aggrandizement rule the day, colleges and universities must resist the sloppy practice—all too common—of using ill-understood quantitative pseudo-analysis to justify the perpetuation of existing structures of power and influence. Experts in the field of education have long recognized that SAT scores are highly correlated with family income and privilege, and that they can be improved through things like test prep and tutors that cost money. Admissions works hard year after year to craft a wonderful class without being biased by family background and privilege.
When we look at our students, talk with them across our office tables, stand beside them in our labs, and see them succeed in their post-Williams lives, we see young people who have come to Williams to become their best selves, to be transformed and to transform the world, to reach out into realms they had never encountered before. Words like “best,” “smarter,” “most talented” are largely irrelevant to what education is all about at its core. Instead, a Williams education involves learning how to recognize each other and how to think critically about ourselves.
Williams must broaden and deepen its commitment to educational equity, not reduce it. To all of our alums and current students, especially those who feel targeted by calls to make Williams less inclusive: We who work here are lucky to know you, to teach you, and in the end, to learn from you. We are humbled every day by what you all bring to the college, and we are here for you. To the new and prospective students who enter campus: we will work to make sure that the environment you find here will be open to your contributions, and we stand ready to welcome you whatever your life experiences have been.
Signed
| Your name | Faculty or staff | Department or Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Sarah Jacobson | Faculty | Economics |
| Steven Nafziger | Faculty | Economics |
| Gregory Mitchell | Faculty | Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies |
| Bernie Rhie | Faculty | Department of English |
| Ezra Dan Feldman | Faculty | English |
| Susan Godlonton | Faculty | Economics |
| John Limon | Faculty | English |
| Steve Gerrard | Faculty | Philosophy |
| Jennifer French | Faculty | Romance Languages |
| Alison Case | Faculty | English |
| Shawn Rosenheim | Faculty | English |
| Magnus Bernhardsson | Faculty | History |
| Neil Roberts | Faculty | Associate Professor of Africana Studies & Faculty Affiliate in Political Science and Religion |
| Anne Reinhardt | Faculty | History |
| Chad Topaz | Faculty | Mathematics and Statistics |
| Maria Elena Cepeda | Faculty | Latina/o Studies |
| Ronadh Cox | Faculty | Geosciences |
| Lucie Schmidt | Faculty | Economics |
| Lara Shore-Sheppard | Faculty | Economics |
| Mérida M. Rúa | Faculty | Latina & Latino Studies & American Studies |
| Amal Eqeiq | Faculty | Arabic Studies & Comparative Literature |
| Ralph Bradburd | Faculty | Economics and Environmental Studies |
| Christian Thorne | Faculty | English |
| Christopher Pye | Faculty | English |
| Lauren Williamson | Faculty | Psychology |
| Gail Newman | Faculty | German |
| Mariko Moher | Faculty | psychology |
| Kashia Pieprzak | Faculty | Romance languages |
| Kiaran Honderich | Faculty | Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies |
| Emery Shriver | Staff | Libraries |
| Phoebe A Cohen | Faculty | Geosciences |
| Laini Sporbert | Staff | Health & Wellness Services |
| Amy Holzapfel | Faculty | Theatre |
| Jacqueline Hidalgo | Faculty | Latina/o Studies and Religion |
| Jimmy Blair | Faculty | Chemistry |
| Julie Blackwood | Faculty | Mathematics and Statistics |
| Ashok Rai | Faculty | Economics |
| Lawrence Raab | Faculty | English |
| José Constantine | Faculty | Geosciences |
| Roger Kittleson | Faculty | History Department |
| Sara Dubow | Faculty | History |
| Jeff Israel | Faculty | Religion and Jewish Studies |
| Robin Meyer | Staff | Career Center |
| Kashia Pieprzak | Faculty | Romance languages |
| Matthew Gold | Faculty | Music |
| Pia Kohler | Faculty | Environmental Studies |
| Matt Carter | Faculty | Biology |
| Christina Simko | Faculty | Anthropology and Sociology |
| Jerry Caprio | Faculty | Economics Department |
| Paul Park | Faculty | English Department |
| Deborah A Brothers | Faculty | Theatre |
| David P. Richardson | Faculty | Chemistry |
| Dukes Love | Faculty | Provost, Economics |
| Mari Reinhardt | Faculty | Political Science and American Studies |
| Katie Kent | Faculty | English and WGSS |
| Luana Maroja | Faculty | Biology |
| Jana Sawicki | Faculty | Philosophy, Oakley Center |
| Peter Murphy | Faculty | English |
| Lee Park | Faculty | Chemistry |
| Karen Kwitter | Faculty | Astronomy |
| Scott Wong | Faculty | History |
| Olga Shevchenko | Faculty | Anthropology and Sociology |
| Kenda Mutongi | Faculty | History |
| Helga Druxes | Faculty | German and Comparative Literature |
| Meg Bossong '05 | Staff | Dean's Office |
| Jason Josephson Storm | Faculty | Religion |
| Andrea Barrett | Faculty | English |
| Charles B. Dew | Faculty | History Department |
| Steven Souza | Faculty | Department of Astronomy |
| Chris Waters | Faculty | History |
| Karen Merrill | Faculty | History |
| Sophie Saint-Just | Faculty | French and Francophone Studies |
| Dreyfus | Faculty | Religion |
| Ralph Morrison | Faculty | Math/Stat |
| Mike Glier | Faculty | Art |
| Peter Just | Faculty | Anthropology & Sociology |
| Cathy Johnson | Faculty | Political Science |
| VaNatta Ford | Faculty | Africana Studies |
| Jessica Fisher | Faculty | English |
| Stephen Tifft | Faculty | English |
| Carol Ockman | Faculty | Art |
| Pamela E. Harris | Faculty | Mathematics and Statistics |
| Alexander Bevilacqua | Faculty | History |
| Anand Swamy | Faculty | Economics |
| Shanti Marie Singham | Faculty | History and Africana Studies |
| Mari Rodriguez Binnie | Faculty | Art |
| M. Jennifer Bloxam | Faculty | Music |
| Paul Karabinos | Faculty | Geosiences |
| Peter C. Pihos | Faculty | History |
| Holly Edwards | Faculty | Art Department |
| Lisa Dorin | Staff | WCMA |
| Tara Watson | Faculty | Economics |
| Kim Gutschow | Faculty | Anthropology & Religion |
| Tim Lebestky | Faculty | Biology |
| Michelle Apotsos | Faculty | Art |
| Andrew Cornell | Faculty | American Studies |
| Charles Lovett | Faculty | Chemistry |
| Kerry Christensen | Faculty | Classics |
| Julie Cassiday | Faculty | Russian |
| Stefanie Solum | Faculty | Art |
| Rob White | Staff | Dean’s Office |
| Molly Magavern | Staff | Institutional Diversity and Equity |
| Sharifa T. Wright | Staff | Office of College Relations |
| Martha Marvin | Faculty | Neuroscience Program |
| Annelle Curulla | Faculty | Romance Languages |
| Li Yu | Faculty | Asian Studies |
| Gretchen Long | Faculty | History and Director of the Williams Exeter Programme at Oxford |
| Amie Hane | Faculty | Psychology |
| Anthony Yooshin Kim | Faculty | American Studies |
| Shawna Patterson-Stephens | Staff | The Davis Center |
| Kevin Jones | Faculty | Physics |
| Kailani Polzak | Faculty | Art |
| Amy Gehring | Faculty | Chemistry |
| Ashley Weeks Cart '05 | Staff | Alumni Relations |
| Ken Kuttner | Faculty | Economics |
| Alejandra Moran | Staff | Admission Office |
| Laurie heatherington | Faculty | Paychology |
| Melissa Barry | Faculty | Department of Philosophy |
| Jay Racela | Staff | CES/GEOS |
| Colin Adams | Faculty | Mathematics & Statistics Department |
| Eva Grudin | Faculty | Art Dept., emerita |
| Janneke van de Stadt | Faculty | Russian and Comparative Literature |
| Laurie Heatherington | Faculty | Department of Psychology |
| Jeremy Cone | Faculty | Psychology |
| Noah Sandstrom | Faculty | Psychology |
| Lori DuBois | Staff | Williams Libraries |
| Kasumi Yamamoto | Faculty | Asian Studies |
| Laura Ephraim | Faculty | Political Science |
| Brianna Heggeseth | Faculty | Mathematics and Statistics |
| Paula Consolini | Staff | Center for Learning in Action (CLiA) |
| Abigail Conyers | Staff | Office of Admission |
| Baktygul Aliev | Faculty | Russian |
| Tracy Baker-White | Staff | Center for Learning in Action |
| Courtney Wade | Staff | Provost's Office |
| Stephanie Gonzalez | Staff | Admission |
| Richard Nesbitt | Staff | Office of Admission |
| Nimu Njoya | Faculty | Political Science |
| Carolina Echenique | Staff | Office of Admission |
| Laura Muller | Staff | Center for Academic Resources/Dean's Office |
| Sara LaLumia | Faculty | Economics |
| Robert Blay | Staff | Special Academic Programs |
| Zaid Adhami | Faculty | Religion |
| Bilal Ansari | Staff | The Davis Center |
| Neil Kubler | Faculty | Dept. of Asian Studies |
| W. Anthony Sheppard | Faculty | Music |
| Guy Hedreen | Faculty | Art |
| Wendy Adam | Staff | Integrative Wellbeing Services |
| Cassandra Cleghorn | Faculty | English |
| Elizabeth McGowan | Faculty | Art |
| Paul Gitterman | Staff | Integrative Wellbeing Services |
| Barbara Robertson | Staff | Admission |
| Sam Crane | Faculty | Political Science |
| Seth Wax | Staff | Chaplain's Office |
| Laylah Ali | Faculty | Art |
| Amanda Turner | Staff | Registrar's Office |
| Brent Heeringa | Faculty | Computer Science |
| Celia Hilson | Staff | Wellbeing Counseling Services |
| Laylah Ali | Faculty | Art Department |
| Saadia Yacoob | Faculty | Religion |
| Laylah Ali | Faculty | Art Department |
| Vivian Huang | Faculty | WGSS |
| Christopher Goh | Faculty | Chemistry |
| Becky Crane | Staff | Integrative Wellbeing Services/Health Services |
| Ben T. Wood | Staff | Integrative Wellness Services |
| Emily Bourguignon | Staff | College Relations |
| Juan Baena '06 | Staff | Alumni Relations |
| Don Kjelleren | Staff | WCC |
| James Cart | Staff | Office of The Provost |
| Molly Polk | Staff | CLiA |
| Laura Martin | Faculty | Environmental Studies |
| Peter Low | Faculty | Art |
| Kimberly Love | Faculty | English |
| Betty Zimmerberg | Faculty | Psychology |
| Michelle Shaw | Staff | Career Services |
| Angie Marano | Staff | Student Health & Wellness Services |
| Lama Nassif | Faculty | Arabic Studies, Comparative Literature |
| Rick Spalding | Staff | Chaplains' Office |
| Mary Ellen Czerniak | Staff | Corporarte & Foundation Relations |
| Lauren Magrath | Staff | Office of college relations |
| Sulgi Lim | Staff | Admission Office |
| Sulgi Lim '06 | Staff | Admission Office |
| Sophie Chatas | Staff | Development Office |
| Sarah Gardner | Staff | Center for Environmental Studies |
| Amy Filson | Staff | Development |
| Doug Paisley | Staff | Art |
| Brooks Foehl | Staff | Alumni Relations |
| Bernadine Williams | Staff | College Relations |
| Gillian Sciacca | Staff | Office of College Relations |
| Tracy Finnegan | Staff | Center for Learning in Action |
| Cory Colbert | Faculty | Mathematics and Statistics |
| Kaatje White | Staff | Center for Learning in Action |
| Dan Lynch | Faculty | Biology |
| Marlene Sandstrom | Faculty | Psychology Dept; Dean of the College |
| Eddy Ciobanu | Staff | Admission Office |
| Jay Thoman | Faculty | Chemistry |
| Joel Lee | Faculty | Anthropology and Sociology |
| Mark Reach | Staff | OCR |
| Tyler Rogers | Faculty | American Studies |
| Patti J. Exster | Staff | Corporate & Foundation Relations |
| Tiku Majumder | Faculty | Physics Dept. |
| Donna Myers | Staff | Integrative Wellbeing Services |
| Rob Savage | Faculty | Biology |
| Colleen Little | Staff | Office of College Relations |
| Cecilia Chang | Faculty | Asian Studies |
| Dave Tucker-Smith | Faculty | Physics |
| Janine Hetherington | Staff | Office of College Relations |
| Jeannie Albrecht | Faculty | Computer Science |
| Kate Heekin | Staff | Admissions |
| Steve Klass | Staff | Campus Life |
| Gage McWeeny | Faculty | English |
| John Carasone | Staff | Development |
| Cheryl Brigley | Staff | Development |
| Nicole Brown | Faculty | Classics |
| Antonio Blanco | Staff | Alumni Relations |
| Patricia Acosta | Staff | Geosciences |
| Cory Campbell | Staff | OIT |
| Robert Swann | Staff | Alumni Relations |
| Ninah Pretto | Staff | Dean's Office |
| Leila Derstine | Staff | Alumni Relations |
| Leigh Sylvia | Staff | Career Center |
| Anita Sokolsky | Faculty | English |
| Mea Cook | Faculty | Geosciences, WGSS |
| Antonia E. Foias | Faculty | ANSO |
| Angela Wu | Staff | The Davis Center |
| Lew Fisher | Staff | Office of College Relations |
| Kai M. Green | Faculty | WGSS |
| Sharif Rosen | Staff | Chaplains' Office/CLiA |
| Walter Johnston | Faculty | English |
| Eva Grudin | Faculty | art dept., emerita |
| Sourena Parham | Staff | CFLLC |
| Katherine Myers | Staff | Office of College Relations |
| Nicolas Howe | Faculty | Environmental Studies |
| Barron Koralesky | Staff | Office for Information Technology |
| Allison Pacelli | Faculty | Mathematics & Statistics |
| Sonnet Coggins | Staff | Williams College Museum of Art |