Article about Grinnell Accepting NRA President's donation

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/02/19/nra-presidents-donation-grinnell-prompts-policy-rewrite-and-soul-searching?utm_content=buffer699e9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=IHEbuffer

it’s talking about how the college revised its policy to reserve the right to look into the source of funds when accepting or declining a gift. given how more people now than ever are pressing for stricter gun control laws (especially after the mass shooting in parkland), and the gift literally came from the president of the NRA, i believe this was a smart decision.

Thanks for sharing ! It is simply a question of whether I as a parent would feel safe sending my child to a college that endorses the policies of the NRA, and a college which decides that gun control is not an issue it wants to take a stand on.

Grinnell was on the list of colleges my daughter wanted to apply to. As an immigrant (my daughter looks hispanic, could pass off as someone of Mexican descent), I was already uncomfortable sending her to a place like Grinnell. This piece gives me even more pause.

^ grinnell did take a stand about gun control. that’s why they revised their policy. after they found out the source of his donation stems from the NRA, they changed their policy to reserve the right to look into the source of funds before they accept/decline the donation. grinnell most definitely does not endorse the policies of the NRA, as shown by this action and releasing a statement in solidarity with the students who choose to (peacefully) protest in support of gun reform.

@santaclaradad - if anything I think you should take the OPPOSITE away from the article. Grinnell would be a very welcoming place for your daughter, in my opinion. Very liberal, very welcoming, very open. THAT is why they are revising their policies.

I am confused as to why Grinnell did not refuse the money in the first place, or did not return it back once they learned that the contribution was from the President of the NRA. It is hard to maintain a neutral stance (let alone a stance critical of the NRA) once you accept money from them.

It seems Grinnell is okay with taking ‘old’ bad money but not ‘new’ bad money. Would it turn down a donation from the Pew foundation? Pew money was oil money. Filthy, dirty oil money made when environmental regulations were non-existent. How about Kennedy money? A Rhodes scholarship for a graduate? A personal donation from Charlton Heston? That’s Hollywood money, not NRA money, but he’s identified with the NRA.

Most schools don’t have the ability to turn down money.

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Grinnell, I and many others can assure you that the college is a very safe space. It is a very liberal campus, isn’t afraid to embrace it, and is very politically active. Bernie Sanders and Hillary both had events there. The college accepting donations doesn’t affect the safety of the campus. For your daughter, it is a very safe, open, and accepting environment. While the college itself has a very left-wing population, conservatives aren’t in a dangerous area either. It is overall a very open, accepting, and safe campus. A more urban similar college would be Macalester, in St. Paul, MN. Also great academics and similar climate.

I think the students are generally liberal and very aware of current issues whereas the Grinnell administration moves more slowly and moves between forward-thinking to an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” attitude. When we visited, students were trying to garner support so the college would stop doing business with the banks that supported the pipeline through Native American land. These are normal issues on most college campuses, but it surprised me that the Grinnell administration wasn’t as open as I thought they might be.

@santaclaradad Grinnell is the type of place to be sure to visit before attending if you’re unsure about these types of issues. Be sure to visit the town and get a sense of the people surrounding the college. Only you and your daughter can make the call if the environment is a good fit.

Read about Grinnell’s leadership to put you at ease. It is one of the most social-justice-minded schools in the country. https://www.grinnell.edu/about/leadership/president

Thanks for the responses. Macalester is definitely high on the list (and I would have no worries sending my daughter there). Also looking seriously at Oberlin.

@santaclaradad I can’t really speak to the whole NRA thing, but basing my reply as a parent of a Grinnell sophomore, I’d be absolutely stunned if looking hispanic would be a negative in any way to the Grinnell population. The Grinnell students and community appear to be very welcoming to all types, probably more than almost any other college.