There's blame to go aroundA letter sent by Northwest College President Paul Prestwich in early February has raised a question of impropriety.The letter, sent to 1,002 high school parishioners of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, touts the opportunities offered by the college and the Powell community for those of Mormon faith. Prestwich clearly states in the letter that he too is a member of the church.NWC's enrollment management plan for 2007-2010 lists as a strategy for increasing diverse student populations: “Partner with local churches, NOWCAP, Headstart and local businesses.”According to the admissions office, the college has in the past worked with both the Newman Center, which is affiliated with the Catholic Church, and with the LDS Institute in Powell to send recruiting letters.But according to a faculty member on the committee that drafted the enrollment management plan, the intention was to increase the diversity on campus by recruiting more Hispanic and international students, not to target those of a particular faith.The language of the plan is ambiguous at best, leaving that specific strategy wide open to interpretation.In the most recent case, college admissions office personnel specifically asked Prestwich to pen the correspondence, which was accompanied by a letter from the president of the Cody Stake of the LDS church. That's where the issue gets sticky: The recent letter was sent only to Mormon high school students, raising the ire of some NWC students, faculty, staff and community members. They question whether a single religious group is being shown special favor.Prestwich says the letter was sent to LDS students as a recruiting tool for a select target audience. While recruitment letters haven't recently been sent to other religious groups, he and admissions office personnel say they may work with the Newman Center and with Protestant-based Campus Ventures in the future to recruit students of faith.That shouldn't occur. The policy and practice of singling out certain religious groups for recruitment is bad policy and a dangerous practice.Efforts to recruit students should be all inclusive and focus on NWC's outstanding academic programs, extracurricular activities and the abundant recreational opportunities. Religious affiliation — or the lack thereof — should play no role.While from the worst-case perspective, this episode represents a case of impropriety and favoritism, more likely it's simply a case of bad judgment.The committee that developed the recruitment plan, NWC's admissions office and Prestwich all deserve their share of the blame.The college needs to make certain this situation doesn't happen again.

There's blame to go around

A letter sent by Northwest College President Paul Prestwich in early February has raised a question of impropriety.

The letter, sent to 1,002 high school parishioners of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, touts the opportunities offered by the college and the Powell community for those of Mormon faith. Prestwich clearly states in the letter that he too is a member of the church.

NWC's enrollment management plan for 2007-2010 lists as a strategy for increasing diverse student populations: “Partner with local churches, NOWCAP, Headstart and local businesses.”

According to the admissions office, the college has in the past worked with both the Newman Center, which is affiliated with the Catholic Church, and with the LDS Institute in Powell to send recruiting letters.

But according to a faculty member on the committee that drafted the enrollment management plan, the intention was to increase the diversity on campus by recruiting more Hispanic and international students, not to target those of a particular faith.

The language of the plan is ambiguous at best, leaving that specific strategy wide open to interpretation.

In the most recent case, college admissions office personnel specifically asked Prestwich to pen the correspondence, which was accompanied by a letter from the president of the Cody Stake of the LDS church.

That's where the issue gets sticky: The recent letter was sent only to Mormon high school students, raising the ire of some NWC students, faculty, staff and community members. They question whether a single religious group is being shown special favor.

Prestwich says the letter was sent to LDS students as a recruiting tool for a select target audience. While recruitment letters haven't recently been sent to other religious groups, he and admissions office personnel say they may work with the Newman Center and with Protestant-based Campus Ventures in the future to recruit students of faith.

That shouldn't occur. The policy and practice of singling out certain religious groups for recruitment is bad policy and a dangerous practice.

Efforts to recruit students should be all inclusive and focus on NWC's outstanding academic programs, extracurricular activities and the abundant recreational opportunities. Religious affiliation — or the lack thereof — should play no role.

While from the worst-case perspective, this episode represents a case of impropriety and favoritism, more likely it's simply a case of bad judgment.

The committee that developed the recruitment plan, NWC's admissions office and Prestwich all deserve their share of the blame.

The college needs to make certain this situation doesn't happen again.