What’s going to happen to R- MWC? August 28, 2006
I’ve been doing more thinking about the possibility of R-MWC going coed to maintain enrollment numbers. They have recently succeeded at raising $100 million+ through the Capital Campaign, which should allieviate concerns about money. If women do so well at women’s colleges, why is this an option?
I got ideas from the College’s financial newsletter and U.S. News and World Report. Then I read the College website’s Strategic Planning information. I have read some before, but it answered my questions. As far as the donated money, not all is given in a lump sum. Some is future giving or allotted for specific purposes. Sister-class traditions were developed over time by the students. New traditions would likely emerge. One article I linked to from their site spoke about two women’s colleges, Hood and Sweet Briar, which have both had to choose what to do in this difficult situation. Hood went coed. Sweet Briar, however, made some changes, but continued being single-sex. This gives me hope that just because the researchers came up with this solution for R-MWC, does not mean that R-MWC’s Board will accept it.
Even if they do, I’m feeling a little hasty about signing the petition. I love the College and I don’t know what will happen if they do let in men, but the school will certainly change. I guess my main issues are the feel of the school, what the single-sex environment enables, and the traditions. The College is more concerned about the academic advances that are supposed to draw in students and what will get students in there to profit from those advances. I certainly care about the academic standards, but also that women not suffer from favoritism towards women in the classroom.
I don’t know what exactly makes the College “truly distinctive in the marketplace,” but I know that if I had been asked ahead of time if I would choose a single-sex institution, I don’t know that it would have been my first choice. It just worked out that way. It had good options for classes and dancing but it was only after I visited the campus that I knew it was for me. How do you market that?
A recent U.S. News & World Report featured “America’s Best Colleges.” R-MWC ranked 89th in Best Liberal Arts Colleges. The following is from Admit it: Women have a Man Problem: “As it becomes more difficult for women to gain admittance into many schools, some foresee a renaissance in unisex education…. Just because women are more represented in higher ed today doesn’t mean that their lot has improved forever…,” referencing the wage gap between lifetime earnings of men and women. Now, female high-school applicants must sell themselves more aggressively if they hope to be included in the women admitted. They may find that schools which are typically male-dominated are easier to get into, as they want to have a more equal enrollment.
Does the Board think going coed will help? Will men actually enroll? The College will have to figure out what will bring them in too.
“A problem for [Admissions Counselors], as for much of the rest of the campus, is that until about six weeks ago, many remained skeptical that the steering committee would recommend the change to coeducation. It seemed very remote and very unlikely, and thus not something that there was any reason to bring forward.” These are the words of William Coulter, a professor of English and Dean of the College, addressing this years new students who didn’t knowing how soon this change could happen.
This reflects how I felt about this issue also. I seemed much farther off, and now it’s being sprung on us all.
We made great time to Milwaukee and after installing another car seat, sitting in Wisconsin state fair traffic and getting lost again we made it to Tim’s Aunt Kathy’s. Though I met his family at our wedding, this was the first time I’ve spent with them. It was a lot of fun and chatted with his Aunt Zalla for a while. Sara Ellen, naturally, charmed all and didn’t seem anxious meeting new people.
