<p>We are considering UA for my daughter (currently a junior) due to the academic scholarships they offer and their reputable honors program. </p>
<p>Her stats:
Class rank: currently 1/700 (may fall to 7/700 since she might take only 4 APs her senior year)
ACT = 33 at end of freshman year; expect 35 or 36 when she re-takes
She has not yet taken PSAT; of note is that she does well on these types of tests
She will graduate with 9 AP courses + University/ dual credit for two courses
She is considering pre-med and indicates if she doesn’t go to med school, would like to do engineering. She is a very strong math and chemistry student (AP calc AB & BC , AP Chem, and AP Physics).
She dances 20-35 hours/ week and can do all the skills required for the UA dance team members.</p>
<p>She is half Filipino; she looks more Hispanic than Asian. Although she is 1/2 Caucasian, she is very ethnic looking- although almost everyone can’t figure out what nationality she might be. We live in the midwest and I am cautious about what kind of experience she might have going to UA- a southern university. She wants to audition for the dance team; she should make it unless race might be a factor. We plan on doing a clinic and talking to the coach before committing to UA.</p>
<p>She also is interested in joining a sorority. I have heard a lot of debate about the status of minorities in sororities in general and at UA. I want her to have a chance at all the opportunities available. Do you think that is possible at UA for my daughter? </p>
<p>Thanks so much for any advice you can provide.</p>
<p>We’re also from Indiana. My S is 1/4 Indonesian by ethnicty. He has a SLIGHTLY darker complexion and very dark brown eyes. I don’t notice he looks very ethnic, but he often has friends and occasional aquaintences pose the ‘What are you???’ question.</p>
<p>As he was born and spent his entire life in Indiana and both his parents were born and raised here, his response is generally, “I’m an American the same as you.”</p>
<p>He hasn’t had any issues at Bama and in fact I think it being a diverse community he is less likely to encounter discrimination in Tuscaloosa than he is here in the rural midwest.</p>
<p>I can’t really speak for the Greek system, from what I’ve read there is no discrimination against Hispanics or Asians so your D shouldn’t have a problem, but others can speak more to their experiences.</p>
<p>OP. I find it interesting that anyone on this board would try to give you blanket reassurances on this topic, especially in light of the Crimson White article linked in the other thread. </p>
<p>A few have shared specific anecdotes of the diversity found in their daughters’ pledge classes, etc. Perhaps others can share or PM you with exact numbers and degree of enthnicity they see in the houses. Or link you to composite photos which would allow you to envision your daughter being welcomed.</p>
<p>I find it interesting that the OP thinks that if her daughter doesn’t make the dance team the only explanation is racism. If that is really the attitude, then UA may not be right for your D. It’s a large school and I’m sure the dance team rejects lots of qualified dancers for any number of reasons.</p>
<p>With articles like the one that appeared in the CW just today, it’s difficult for the parent of anyone who might face discrimination for any reason not to be afraid. We don’t want to send our children into a hostile environment…into one in which they won’t be accepted. Seeing such articles and threads such as this would make any concerned parent worry about how their child will be accepted.</p>
<p>Articles such as the one in the CW break my heart! The annual threads about discrimination leave me with a queasy feeling in my stomach. I encouraged my son to not be involved with the UA Greek system after reading these threads year after year.</p>
<p>However, as sad as it is to say, disrimination within the Greek system only seems to be targeted against one specific race. The reasons can debated and have been over and over, but articles such as the one published today make it difficult to deny that such discrimination does exist.</p>
<p>From all my investigations into this issue which is near to my heart since my own S is of a mixed ethnic background, there does not seem to be discrimination against students from any other races within the Greek system or at the university as a whole.</p>
<p>That still doesn’t make it acceptible and it is still very disturbing. But if the OP is concerned her own D will be discriminated against, there likely won’t be any reason for concern.</p>
<p>I highly doubt “race” would be a factor regarding making the dance team. That is highly unlikely at Bama or any other school.</p>
<p>I haven’t heard any evidence that would suggest that a half Filipino, half white student would have any issues going thru Panhellenic rush. Don’t know if she’d have any issues going thru Pan-Hellenic Rush. </p>
<p>I mentioned in another thread that I have two different neighbors’ D’s in sororities at Bama. One is half Asian/half Hispanic, the other is half Hispanic/half white. Neither had any issues going thru Panhellenic rush. Both pledged popular houses. </p>
<p>As for CW article about 2 AA girls. I think it was ridiculous for the Alums to get involved at all when it comes to Actives selecting their pledges. If the Actives want to choose PMNs that don’t have recs, they should be allowed to do so. That said, that incident has nothing to do with the OP’s D.</p>
<p>Momofsmartdancer, my DS is Asian-American at UA; I sent you a PM, hopefully, you will have enough post to respond.
I think that what is important is for your family to visit and see for yourself. You will also find out that the school is over 50% Out of State which is more indicative of the diversity of a school.<br>
Anyway, please ask any questions from your fellow parents…ROLL TIDE</p>
<p>the dance team is only 16ish girls. i am sure there are plenty of girls that can do all the skills required for the dance team. she may or may not be able to make the dance team, but i don’t think race would be the reason if she didn’t.</p>
<p>The CW article mentions that the girs didn’t have recs. I personally know an Africian American girl who was released from recruitment and she had recs. In fact she had two for one of the sororities mentioned. And the AA girl in question had a 4.0 top 5% of her class. Lots of outstanding community service. So the lack of rec’s is a poor excuse.</p>
<p>ABC 33/40 has confirmed that questions about the rejection of an African American female by a traditionally white University of Alabama fraternity involves the step-granddaughter of University of Alabama trustee and Judge John England.</p>
<p>Getting onto the dance team is going to be a challenge for your daughter (and mine in a few years) at any college to which she is accepted. As Mike points out, a team with 18 or so dancers (which seems to be the norm) will likely only have 4 or 5 new members a year. I would hate to be going into the process with a defensive attitude about my child’s race. On the other hand, I am not a racial minority so I have not had to deal with this.</p>
<p>"the dance team is only 16ish girls. i am sure there are plenty of girls that can do all the skills required for the dance team. she may or may not be able to make the dance team, but i don’t think race would be the reason if she didn’t. "</p>
<p>You obviously don’t realize the dance team stems from competitive dance. There are certain skills that are needed. This is not just about pretty girls going out there and shaking their booties. Top competitive dancers train for years. My daughter has danced year round since the age of 5, averaging anywhere from 15-35 hrs/ week. Last year, she danced on a competitive dance team and the high school dance team, participated in the performing arts/ dance program and served as a Teachers Assistant for the high school dance teacher; she danced 35 hours/ week while maintaining a 4.0- first in her class. We have spent more than $100,000 on her training. She has won many awards, including the State Solo Dance Champion. She has been singled out by top choreographers from LA and New York who have worked on music videos for Brittany, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, and even one from the High School Musical movie and won scholarships. Clearly, the professionals in the dance business know more about dance than you do.</p>
<p>University of Alabama competes on the UDA circuit against other colleges and universities and I am pretty sure that they want top competitive dancers on their team. I know other competitive teams want to win- so I am not sure why you would think that dance teams don’t want to win also (unless you are not aware that they compete). As for the comment about there being many girls out there- there are few that can dance at the competitive level that a college dance team is at.</p>
<p>momofsmartdancer, if your daughter has been competing for years then surely you know how many great dancers there are out there. In the same way that not all qualified applicants get into Harvard, not all qualified applicants make every dance team they try out for.</p>
<p>There are other factors, too. Look at the roster of the U of Minnesota dance team (widely considered the best in the country). Not only are almost all the dancers from MN, many of them trained at the same competition studios in the Twin Cities.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids,
Thanks for your response. I really am not well versed on the status of southern culture or racism because I was raised in both the midwest and in southern California and I am white. It is reassuring to know that you do not feel race would have an impact on the team tryouts.We have never faced any sort of discrimination in dance before, and I hope it stays that way.</p>
<p>Yes, we follow U of MN closely. Our studio competed against one of the Larkin studios at Nationals this year. I honestly don’t think that there are that many dancers out there that have all of the skills that the dancers have on the U of MN team. Larkin offers extraordinary training for their dancers. ALL of the UMN dancers can turn. I don’t think that there is any favoritism going on- the twin cities obviously have some of the best training available that correlates with dance team in the country. I will also add that I am very pleased that the studio that my daughter attends has the same strengths as I feel that I am not wasting my money :).</p>
<p>I was not aware of what was going on with yesterday’s Sorority Racism posts and the article about a girl of mixed race not being able to pledge due to racism of the alumnae of the sorority. I read the article from the link that was posted on cc and found that the Dean has expressed pretty much the same sentiment that I had when I started this thread.</p>
<p>"UA Dean of Students Tim Hebson responded to The Crimson White’s questions regarding sorority recruitment with an emailed statement:
Every UA organization should be committed to making sure that its policies are held to the highest ideals and that its actions and decisions help make sure this campus is inclusive and welcoming at every opportunity. Our student leaders, our student body and their parents, our employees and our alumni will work hard to continue the progress of the last 50 years as we work together to make access to opportunities available to all.”</p>
<p>This is exactly my concern. I want to feel that my daughter would have the same opportunities at the university as do white students. However, after reading many of the posts it seems that UA is caught between the past and the present. Many want racism to leave- but it does still exist in a discernible manner. </p>
<p>I think that the best thing for our family to do is pick another university that has similar opportunities as UA and let the southerners figure this thing out for themselves. I will predict that things will improve dramatically over the next 20 years- but change can be painful and I think we will just opt out.</p>
<p>I just read the Crimson White piece too. It sounds as though a lot of the racism is coming from the alumnae, not the students. I applaud the girl who spoke up and hope someday the people with their heads in the sand either come around or go away.</p>
<p>"However, after reading many of the posts it seems that UA is caught between the past and the present. Many want racism to leave- but it does still exist in a discernible manner. “</p>
<p>I don’t think that reflects the climate at the UA at all or the attitudes of most students or local community members. Someone else might be able to provide the percentage of OOS students involved in the Greek community.</p>
<p>“I think that the best thing for our family to do is pick another university that has similar opportunities as UA and let the southerners figure this thing out for themselves."</p>
<p>That’s a pretty broad brush you’re painting with to make such a stereotypical statement. Again, you also need to consider the number of OOS students on campus before painting all southerners with such demeaning statements.</p>
<p>“She wants to audition for the dance team; she should make it unless race might be a factor.”</p>
<p>Anyone who expects to find discrimination and actively goes searching for it will find it anywhere, and not based solely upon race. Your daughter may be a very talented dancer, but not making the team wouldn’t necessarily indicate racism. Assuming racism would be the only reason she might not make the team is presumptuous.</p>
<p>You cannot judge an entire university or southerners based upon the antics of some members of the Greek system. I disagree with lots of things I’ve read about lately regarding the actions of some members of the Greek community, but those misdeeds do not reflect upon all Greeks, the entire campus community, or southerners. I agree with Slippy in the thread he started. Talk is cheap. Standing up for change will never be easy for anyone. Kudos to the young woman in the CW for exhibiting what true leaders already know. If one disagrees with staying the course, someone has to be brave enough to lead in another direction regardless of who follows. Any student for whom Greek life is important should participate in rush if they want to do so. Hopefully, other members will follow the lead of the girl who stood up for her convictions, but if there is no racial diversity within the group of students rushing in the future, change isn’t likely to occur either.</p>
<p>Of course you’re free to “opt out” or seek out whatever schools that interest your family. </p>
<p>That said, I still don’t understand why you think that your D would have any issues. Where has there been any evidence that a Half Filipino, Half White student has had problems getting on dance teams or getting sorority bids?</p>