Remember Hillsdale College?

I wrote about Hillsdale College back in July. To make a long story short, it's a school that prides itself in not accepting Federal Student Loans. They had an advertisement on 770 am (a conservative New York radio station) where they show off that they are a college that promotes "conservative financial values." I called them out on it because they didn't want to report the racial make-up of the school, so declined federal funding rather than coming clean. I actually found a pic of a bunch of Hillsdale cheerleaders--only one of whom was black. It has since been taken down.

In the many months since I posted, comments have popped up here and there. Many in support of the school, saying that it was a wonderful institution:

Since Hillsdale took it's bold stand, the government's demands have increased far beyond mere data reporting. As a public school student I cannot tell you how much vapid nonsense I am forced, by the requirement or "incentive" of the federal government, to endure on a daily basis. While Hillsdale College isn't perfect and apparently not your particular idea of what a college should be, the students and faculty who teach there are *free*. Free to teach and learn as they please, regardless of what anyone else (including someone like yourself) wants to impose on them. And that, my supposed libertarian friend, is what liberty is all about.

Sincerely,

Andrew

(Someone who actually knows something about Hillsdale College)

P.S.: Before the invective comes, a short biographical note: I applied and was accepted to Hillsdale a couple years ago, but personal circumstances at home prevented me from attending. Nonetheless I maintain friendship with the students whom I've met there, who are a fine set of folks. I wrote this to set the record straight for those unfortunate enough to stumble upon this page in a Google search, as I had.

and

Maybe you should visit the college and see what it is actually about, rather than making hasty judgments based on a website and an outdated picture of cheerleaders. In fact, when is that picture from? Hillsdale actually just brought back the cheerleading program this fall, so I'm pretty sure it's not recent. If Hillsdale is so racist, I'm wondering why Federick Douglass was a supporter....

and

I attended Hillsdale College, and graduated in '02. It is a great private school. Having studied at a variety of public and private schools and in England, Hillsdale remains the great educational experience of my life. Small class sizes, an outstanding classical curriculum, an impressive lecture series (I remember listening to Benazir Bhutto talk there, before her assasination), and incredibly engaged Professors (I remember many weekend parties at professors' houses, and parties to which profs were invited, where we started drinking wine and ended up debating Nietzsche or Cicero or Plato all night. Try that at your average public school). It is true that the student body is largely white, but the great diversity of thought encouraged in the classroom, and the emphasis on fundamental liberties would make anyone feel comfortable there. Hillsdale was one of the first schools in the country to ban in its charter discrimination. I actually did have an openly gay friend at the "Dale, by the way....not a common thing there, but definitely possible. He was a fairly popular student. Thanks for the forum....

Then today... vindication! Thanks for the comment, anon930!

Okay, maybe (and I'm not sure) I was wrong about the race thing. But Hillsdale has come out against Homosexuality on Campus. Once again, I think to myself, "Conservative financial values, my ass."

I wish that a school would open that would adhere to the federal guidelines for race and equality and non-discrimination, but decline the federal funding because of conservative financial values. Hillsdale is obviously not that school. As a libertarian, I resent that conservative financial values and bigotry have joined hands at this institute of higher education or as a party platform at all (i.e. some of the teabaggers). I'm sure the Hillsdale cheerleaders will defend this school again, as they did before. What do you guys have to say about your alma mater?

The picture of racial diversity, right? How many of these pics do I need to find to prove my point?

Hillsdale College: No Federal Monies Wanted

One black cheerleader, woohoo!

So, BIDER readers may know, that I frequent the conservative talk talk radio stations to infiltrate and report back. But, I am a liberatarian, so I am sometimes impressed by the shows. Other times, I want to vomit from the amount of ignorance and hate conservative talk radio propogates.  I actually heard something that made me smile yesterday and I had to do a little digging to find out if its true.  Have you heard of Hillsdale College?  Until yesterday, nor had I.  Well, the pitch on Rush's show was "A college that encourages conservative financial values by not accepting federal loans.  Please call and donate so that we can provide loans to needy students."  WOW, says I.  That's great.  It's a school taking a stand on federal loan monies.... but that begs the question; why?  In my world, where Queen Angel reigns supreme, federal loan money would be available to those students that pursue worthwhile degrees (ones that will lead to good employment) and schools that can't shape their curriculum to reflect the needs of the job market will close the doors from lack of "customers". But, I could never imagine a scenario where the school does not want "free" federal money.  So, I was a bit suspicious. Is it really a decision that Hillsdale made because of its belief in conservative financial values?


A quick perusal of the school's website tells a different story:
Hillsdale's modern rise to prominence occurred in the 1970s. On the pretext that some of its students were receiving federal loans, the Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare attempted to interfere with the College's internal affairs, including a demand that Hillsdale begin counting its students by race. Hilldale... responded with two toughly worded resolutions: One, the college would continue its policy of non-discrimination. Two,"with the help of God," it would resist, by all legal means, any encroachment on its independence.
Following almost a decade of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court decided against Hillsdale in 1984.  By this time, the College had announced that rather than complying with unconstitutional federal regulation, it would instruct its students that they no longer bring federal taxpayer money to Hillsdale. Instead, the College would replace that aid with private contributions.

Hmmm... This sounds more like a race thing and less like an encouragement of fiscal responsibility. I was ready to promote Hillsdale as a place to exercise your own "fiscal conservative policy," but they couched this argument all wrong. Why is it so hard to provide your stats???? How many blacks, asians, Hispanics does this school have enrolled there? I guess we'll never know.  And with a whopping tuition (plus room and board) of $28K, they are hardly giving anything away or fiscally conservative. 

I wish I lived near this college. I would love to see what they are hiding.