<p>100% They should get URM status
If I were an adcom seeing ME shows way more potential hardship than hispanic or black
all three groups have endured suffering, but in the present ME are the most heavily discriminated against. I’m white with a lot of friends of random backgrounds and my Pakistani and Middle Eastern friends definitely get the most crap.
It is a very flawed process and one should not get an advantage because of their skin color/ethnicity (it should be on a case by case basis, ie just because I’m hispanic doesn’t mean I’ve had to work harder than a white student or vice-versa), HOWEVER if the current system is to stick, Muslim Americans and Middle Easterners should receive the same benefits that Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, and Native Americans receive.</p>
<p>I was honestly offended when I saw the lack of a ME bubble on the common app.</p>
<p>I see no indication that immigrants from Islamic countries are subject to disadvantages different from those historically experienced by immigrants in general. They also enjoy some advantages, such as specific protection of civil rights, less monolithic reliance on English than in earlier times, and in some cases great benefits, such as funding to obtain university graduate degrees. In England, Pakistanis have become quite a wealthy group compared to the national average, and the same may be happening in the United States. Iranians and their descendants in the US are quite successful, for example. Nor are Bosnians and Albanians apparently being treated as something other than (immigrant) “white”.</p>
<p>Inconvenience or lack of welcome after 2001 is not comparable to the basis for affirmative action, in the original governmental sense of the term: measures to compensate for aftereffects of slavery, lynchings, segregation, denial of voting rights and education, and much else extending well into the 1960’s.</p>
<p>^ The only legal rationale for affirmative action is the diversification of a college community, NOT compensation for historical discrimination. Otherwise, Asian-Americans would certainly have an easier case to make.</p>
<p>tokenadult has listed several colleges with very high percentages of “race unknown,” but I’m still surprised as to just how large the percentage is at SCAD.</p>
<p>What if you want to know the percentage because diversity means a lot to you, re a college? If it isn’t known, and you can’t visit (which isn’t the best way to check) would those stats still be available?</p>
<p>Whatever the college reports to the federal government is what it knows. The colleges are required to report by federal law, so they are also required to ask students about ethnicity, but (as this FAQ thread was posted to make clear) the students are not required to tell anything to the colleges. </p>
<p>On my part, I’m happier to see a college that is diverse as to </p>
<p>a) geographic origin of students (which is my main objection to my alma mater, which is otherwise a very fine choice for my oldest son) </p>
<p>b) majors pursued by students (which is why my son’s tastes run to medium-size or larger research universities) </p>
<p>or </p>
<p>c) socioeconomic origin of students (which is why we look at figures for percentage of Pell grant recipients and participation in QuestBridge or Posse or other low-income recruitment programs) </p>
<p>rather than the federally reported “race” diversity. My children wouldn’t want any less “race” diversity on a college campus than they know enjoy in their own neighborhood. (They live in a household with two parents of different “races” and next door to another multiracial household and literally under the same roof as multiple families with various combinations of federal defined “races.”) But they think they can get all the racial diversity they need from any large, nationally know college these days, and not just from the students who self-report a “race” category but also from those who do not.</p>
<p>Hello, I am currently transferring my 2 year degree in Criminal Justice to a University soon and my 2 year College did not request the tribal card. I am 1/4th Mohawk and if I choose my ethnicity as Native American, will I need to present a tribal card?</p>
<p>Some places (most places) will ask you your tribal affiliation and possibly the number that registers you with your tribe, but few will ask to see the actual card.</p>
<p>Thank you, there was great concern in my question because I have no tribal affiliation although my great grandmother and grandmother had tribal affiliation before but will not let me into the same tribe (Although there is much evidence to tie me in…?). So without my tribe I can not establish my heritage although there is many obvious signs of appearance, speaking Mohawk and memorabilia. I wanted to take Native American History as well in college which brought me to be concerned with the University denying me perhaps. I never had any trouble participating in my Mohawk study classes in elementary school though as it was approved by the district and the teacher. Would I be able to use my great grandmothers birth certificate, pictures, marriage certificates or even a head dress as proof if I do not posses the tribal card and it is requested? I do not want to be denied of my education because of the lack of a tribal card and to learn of the great people I came from. Thanks for everything…</p>
<p>That is true Northstarmom but you can be denied the right to take Native American History. Because it is considered a privilege and not a right to everyone =</p>
<p>Why can’t anyone take Native American history? Seems that it would be a good subject for everyone to take particularly since doing so would alleviate some of the prejudices and ignorance about Native Americans. Is it in Canada where one has to be Native American to take such courses?</p>
<p>My two year college required a individual be a registered tribal member in order to participate in any Native American studies. My hope is upon a transfer to a University that I will be able to actually participate due to such requirements. I am actually located in New York in Onondaga County.</p>
<p>Seems it would be illegal to keep people out of courses due to their ethnicity. Seems that would be true even if it was a tribal college. For instance, at HBCUs-- and other universities, one needn’t be black to major in African American studies.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, an academic department may deny enrollment in a given course because a student hasn’t fulfilled specific academic prerequisites or because the course is filled this term. To say you aren’t whatever-ethnic-group-enough to take a course is the kind of thing that engenders lawsuits in most environments.</p>
<p>It could be possible that the courses at your old community college were funded by the tribe for their own members, and for that reason enrollment was limited. A parallel could be made with some formal apprenticeship programs that are administered by community colleges: the union selects who can enroll, and supervises the course curricula so that the graduates are prepared according to that union’s professional standards.</p>
<p>They denied my sister for attempting to take it as a minor as well on her major without a tribal card. Although it would seem illegal, it must not have to if they reserved the right to deny individuals based on ethnicity. I am hoping to be admitted to a college that doesn’t have that requirement. My sister was told this by her academic adviser recently as well. We both have the same academic adviser, so was it falsified information? Btw, the 2 year college is OCC.</p>
<p>That clears things up for me happymom! I guess I will have to make sure the University I go to is admitting students in a less bias manner. Although you would think it would be important for a state police officer one day to be good in Native American relations =</p>
<p>You can major in Native American studies at any public university that offers it even if you are from Mars, so that shouldn’t be a problem for your sister if she wants to transfer into that major elsewhere.</p>
<p>Some colleges and universities will ask for formal affiliation with a tribe in order for you to classify you as Native American for their statistical purposes. Other institutions won’t ask for documentation. You can just call the various admissions offices and ask what their policy is. For some colleges and universities, being Native American may give you a couple of bonus points in the application process. It lets them say that they have X% of Native American students when they want to talk about how diverse their student body is.</p>
<p>You aren’t going to be kept out of any place because of your ethnicity (or lack of it). What will keep you out is bad grades and lackluster letters of recommendation. To make your life easier as a transfer student, you should find out if OCC has any articulation agreements for students in your major. </p>
<p>Wishing you (and your sister) all the best!</p>