Washington College is part of an investigation concerning whether higher education institutions discriminate against women in admissions.
Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment Management Kevin Coveney declined to comment on the lawsuit.
According to The Washington Post, civil rights commissioners voted to subpoena 19 Washington area colleges to represent higher education nationally. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is investigating whether colleges favor men and admit them at higher rates than their female counterparts and/or offer them more generous aid packages.
“We have to provide our admissions information to the federal government,” said President Baird Tipson. “We weren’t singled out because of anything we’ve done.”
The schools being investigated are Howard University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Virginia Union University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Catholic University, Loyola University, Messiah College, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, Gettysburg College, University of Richmond, York College of Pennsylvania, Goucher College, Goldey-Beacom College, Shepherd University, Shippensburg University, University of Delaware and University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Women outnumber men nearly 60-40 in higher education, which The Washington Post attributes to the fact that men are more likely to drop out of school, go into the military or even prison.
Tipson said that the approximate 60 percent of women students on campus should give them comfort.
The investigation looks to uncover if some schools, especially selective liberal arts colleges, admit men at a higher rate to balance the gender mix on campus. Washington Post cited that the College of William and Mary in Virginia admitted 43 percent of male applicants and 29 percent of female applicants in fall 2008 because women apply to William and Mary in far greater numbers than men.
Tipson said that women mature faster on average than do men, so they are usually more competitive in admissions.
“Colleges have looked at ways to counter balance that, because men do catch up,” said Tipson. He said it is so colleges do not end up with numbers like 80 percent women.
Vice President and Dean of Admissions at the University of Richmond Gil Villanueva said that the goal of their office is to craft the best incoming class they can, so some years they have admitted men at a lower rate, while other years they have admitted women at a lower rate.
Tipson said it is difficult to put together all the information for the government, and all of the documents are confidential. He said WC should be in the clear after handing over the information.
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