University of Virginia Library

Guidance Counselors

Another major avenue of recruitment that
has altered the enrollment at the University is
the guidance counselor conferences held in the
fall and spring at the University. Guidance
counselors from all over the state attend the
conferences and are informed of the changes
that have taken place, especially in regard to
the interest in recruitment of minority group
students and women.

As an example of the impact of this method,
Mr. Ern stated that applications from minority
groups increased dramatically following last
year's conference.

A method of recruiting out-of-state students
that has also been altered in recent years is the
use of local alumni associations to hold parties
and dinners for prospective applicants.

The basic qualm raised over the alumni
dinners is that of discrimination. Many alumni
have a different conception of the University
than exists in reality. Many alumni only want
upper class, white Anglo-Saxon Protestant
students to apply to the University.

To accomplish this goal, the alumni
committees have often held their recruitment
dinners (which are alumni funded) in exclusive
hotels or country clubs. Members of minority
and poverty groups were often 'turned off' by
the parties, if they were invited at all.