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<p>Parents “let it happen” because the college cultures (UVA, et al) WANT those exact kind of kids. UVA wants the Huguelys, as many as they can get.</p>
<p>I totally disagree with Beach. I found President Sullivan’s statement completely appropriate and spoken like a true parent rather than some college PR machine. Yeardley Love’s death was a real tragedy. George Huguely will forever be branded as a convicted murderer and will pay dearly for his transgressions that night for the rest of his life. The implosion of his life, too, is a real tragedy for his family, even it if was the result of his own actions.</p>
<p>I find the claims UVa “should have done this” or “not done that” in deference to the Love family completely off base. Do you know what the University has done to support the Love family? Do you know all the steps the University has taken to minimize the chance a tragedy like this happens again? But in the end, the University cannot make every decision going forward in perpetuity through the lens of, “what would the Love family think of this.” </p>
<p>As the parent of a current UVa student, I think one of the things I like best about the school is that decisions are made, for the most part, on what is best for the University and it’s students and not based on what is best from a PR or political-correctness standpoint.</p>
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Our community has been devastated by this tragedy. Your statement is unconscionable.</p>
<p>^^ You read too much into the statement. I believe the record shows that UVA, like many colleges, wants high-powered athletes and, like many colleges, admits them in disproportionate numbers. In my own high school, replicated in high schools nationwide, jocks get benefits in the admissions cycle. Huguely represents that “type,” that type only and limited to that type. I withdraw and apologize for any inference beyond the limited athletic reference the statement was intended to imply.</p>
<p>Kellybkk,
It sounds as if you are lumping all athletes in the same category as George Huguely. My son is a first year athlete (not lacrosse). Before he was admitted, the UVA coach sat down and examined his high school transcript. My son had a stellar high school record, 4.6 weighted GPA, 3.9 unweighted, and was entering with 9 UVA credit hours and many AP credits. His academics were considered along side his excellent athletic record. He wasn’t admitted because of his athletics. He was admitted based on his excellent academic record and was invited on the team because of his athletics. As parents and alums, we were present at a recent basketball game where UVA student athletes with a 3.0 average for the semester were recognized for their academic accomplishments. We were pleased to see so many of them (and, fyi, lacrosse was well represented). It may be true that some athletes are admitted based primarily on their athletic accomplishments, but I believe that many more are admitted with strong academics as well.</p>