Toward Inclusiveness

Editorial: College rankings

President Mills told the Orient he thinks that amid the growing opposition to the U.S. News methodology?which counts schools' reputations among their peers for a quarter of their final score?he and his colleagues wished to end the "notable silence" on the part of schools that are typically ranked in the top 25. These are the schools, after all, that benefit most from the credence many ascribe to the current system. This appears all well and good. But in terms of fomenting positive change, how effective will this gesture be?

Editorial: Need-blind admissions

A Bowdoin education is priceless. Unfortunately, it is also pricey. This year's tuition and fees total $46,260. Last year, the median American household made $48,201, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Needless to say, in order to send their kids to Bowdoin, most families need assistance.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

September 21, 2007

On Thursday, some students wore green and black to show support for the "Jena Six" in Louisiana, a group of six black students who alleged unjust treatment by the courts because of their race.

This reminder gives us pause to consider how exclusion still affects us today?even at Bowdoin.

Earlier this week, the Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) held a school-wide discussion to address problems of exclusion and safety in the Bowdoin community. Following a number of incidents in recent months that left students feeling unsafe and unwelcome, BSG decided it was time to do something.

The Bowdoin campus is a small community, and college policies can help protect us from the sort of casual bigotry and disrespect that is often ignored elsewhere in society. But it cannot inoculate us completely. Ignorance and insensitivity seep into our parties, locker rooms, and dorms more frequently than many of us think or would care to admit. We make crude, careless comments and ignore others' discomfort.

National social issues affect Bowdoin students, but our campus is no microcosm of larger society. We have our own culture here?one that we are constantly negotiating. The insular nature of our environment is often ridiculed, but it does provide us with an extraordinary opportunity to realize the ideals of justice and respect within our walls.

And while structured discussions may raise awareness about events that contradict these ideals, no number of sparsely attended "inclusiveness" forums can surmount the insidious effects of widespread indifference. We are better than we let each other be. And we cannot rely on BSG or the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs to fight these battles for us?real change will come from the grassroots.

So the next time a friend says something out of line, speak up.

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