Letters
December 31, 2004
Dear Mr. Sanford:
We are proud parents of a 2004 graduate of Colgate University. But at commencement last spring, our son, Andy, gave us a very telling response to the question, "Are you sorry to leave?" He replied, "My friends, yes; school, not particularly." This should not imply that he was unhappy in Hamilton. On the contrary, he established many fond memories there, which will be with him for the rest of his life. But there was something...
We were aware of a couple of minor philosophical differences he had had with professors during his time there. We of course also received the very patronizing spin letter revealing the administration's plan to vaporize Colgate's Greek system (Andy is a brother of Delta Upsilon). I have been a participant in the same fraternity-preservation battle at my own alma mater, so this rhetoric was nothing new.
But despite the considerable tuition investment referenced in your letter, we plead guilty to not having invested much interest in the culture at Colgate. Excuses: we perhaps trusted the school's sterling reputation too much to question what is now happening there politically, socially, and ultimately, academically; or, we believed it was Andy's situation to deal with, not ours. After all, effectively confronting adversity is as much a test of maturity as any exam offered in college. In retrospect, we probably could have- and should have- assumed a more active and vocal role in our son's education at Colgate.
Why? This fall, Andy found himself deferred from a graduate program in general education because he had taken no math or science courses at Colgate which satisfied very minimum requisites at the University of Southern Maine. Our $150,000+, decent grades, a degree from a prestigious school like Colgate, and scoring at or near the top on an entrance exam couldn't get him into a local branch of a state university? This was a real eye-opener for us. So, it's more undergrad courses this fall- to finish the job that we believe Colgate's core curriculum should have accomplished. This begs your question, "What exactly is Colgate preparing a student for?"
Your letter struck several chords with my wife and me. Each paragraph we read elicited comments like "This is good," or "He's really nailed it there."
Interestingly, we left our local church a few years back, citing many of the same faults which you have very eloquently exposed regarding Colgate. We (and many like us) found little nourishment in constantly being harangued about artificial diversity and political correctness. Not believing that church was an ideal locale for a fight, though, we simply walked away. While we did give to the offering plate each Sunday, let's just say it wasn't the $40,000/year we gave to Colgate, which I think merits at least some accountability.
In particular, the alumni ratification aspect of the fraternity buyout seems to be cause for hope. Mobilizing the masses is definitely the key.
I've also checked out the website- www.sa4c.com - well done!
In closing, I commend you on your effort, Mr. Sanford. Your distinguished background, proven love for, and commitment to Colgate offer instant credibility to a cause that needed a flag around which to rally. It is people like you who can get the pendulum swinging back in the "right" direction. I am confident in your success and wish you well. If there is anything you can think of that a somewhat removed parent of an alumnus can do to help, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Warmest regards,
Jim Rowe
127 Oakhurst Rd.
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
207-799-7467 (h) 207-799-5825 (o)
jrowe1@maine.rr.com (h) chaseco_@hotmail.com (o)