Gadsden football parent: Auburn not "home" for black student athletes

[AuNuma1 1]

I caught a little of Finebaum yesterday on my way home from work and had the privilege to hear the "wisdom" spew from this Gadsden football parent. His main point was that Auburn is "discriminating" against the majority of black students because of Auburn's ACT score standards and catering to "over the mountain" students and that if Auburn continues this tradition, Auburn will have a "lilly white" football team to match their existing "lilly white" campus.

The caller starts off by saying that he's a parent of a friend (and teammate) of Jerrell Harris and that he and his son have been long-time Auburn fans and were very proud of Carnell for his success at Auburn. He said his son wasn't getting a football scholarship but he ends up choosing to attend UAT because UAT would accept him with an 18 on the ACT. He said UAT wanted at least a 20 but his son would have to enroll in some kind of program at UAT to offset the ACT score. He says Auburn wouldn't accept him unless he got a 24 on his ACT and that there was no way his son could get that good of score on the ACT (he was proud of his son's 18). He said he and his son visited Auburn and came to the conclusion that it's just a "lilly white" campus and that black student athletes won't choose to go to Auburn because they don't feel at home. He said since Jerrell saw how hard it was for two of his friends to get accepted to Auburn, his choice to go to UAT was that much easier.

He said he also had friends that were parents of "over the mountain" students and they told him that the Auburn academic recruiters that would visit their schools tried to make the point that the Auburn environment "will be the same as it is here".

I listened to Jox this morning and a guy called in to expound on what the football parent said and he said you could connect the dots as to why black enrollment at UAT is higher: lower academic standards -> more black enrollment -> more black nightlife -> more feeling of "home" for black students.

We somehow formulated all this because UAT got a better recruiting class than Auburn did this year?? INSANE!

[stoic-one 1,553]

W T F !

[kwagoner 214]

I caught a little of Finebaum yesterday on my way home from work and had the privilege to hear the "wisdom" spew from this Gadsden football parent. His main point was that Auburn is "discriminating" against the majority of black students because of Auburn's ACT score standards and catering to "over the mountain" students and that if Auburn continues this tradition, Auburn will have a "lilly white" football team to match their existing "lilly white" campus.

The caller starts off by saying that he's a parent of a friend (and teammate) of Jerrell Harris and that he and his son have been long-time Auburn fans and were very proud of Carnell for his success at Auburn. He said his son wasn't getting a football scholarship but he ends up choosing to attend UAT because UAT would accept him with an 18 on the ACT. He said UA wanted at least a 20 but his son would have to enroll in some kind of program at UAT to offset the ACT score. He says Auburn wouldn't accept him unless he got a 24 on his ACT and that there was no way his son could get that good of score on the ACT (he was proud of his son's 18). He said he and his son visited Auburn and came to the conclusion that it's just a "lilly white" campus and that black student athletes won't choose to go to Auburn because they don't feel at home. He said since Jerrell saw how hard it was for two of his friends to get accepted to Auburn, his choice to go to UAT was that much easier.

He said he also had friends that were parents of "over the mountain" students and they told him that the Auburn academic recruiters that would visit their schools tried to make the point that the Auburn environment "will be the same as it is here".

I listened to Jox this morning and a guy called in to expound on what the football parent said and he said you could connect the dots as to why black enrollment at UAT is higher: lower academic standards -> more black enrollment -> more black nightlife -> more feeling of "home" for black students.

We somehow formulated all this because UAT got a better recruiting class than Auburn did this year?? INSANE!

So if a white guy from Eastabogaslapout County AL only scored a 7 on his ACT, and wasn't allowed to enroll w/a B-ball scholly at at Duke, does that mean Duke hates AL residents, hillbillies, or stupid people? No, it means Duke has high acedemic standards that Bubba George couldn't meet. That is stupid.

IF that is his reason for not coming to Auburn, I'm glad he isn't here. That obviously means that he can't accept rules/standards for what they are and expects exeptions to be made for him.

On the benefit of a doubt, though, it did come from JOX/PF so it could be anybody claiming these things. (I hope this is the case)

[lukeduke 8]

So if a white guy from Eastabogaslapout County AL only scored a 7 on his ACT, and wasn't allowed to enroll w/a B-ball scholly at at Duke, does that mean Duke hates AL residents, hillbillies, or stupid people? No, it means Duke has high acedemic standards that Bubba George couldn't meet. That is stupid.

IF that is his reason for not coming to Auburn, I'm glad he isn't here. That obviously means that he can't accept rules/standards for what they are and expects exeptions to be made for him.

On the benefit of a doubt, though, it did come from JOX/PF so it could be anybody claiming these things. (I hope this is the case)

Are you insinuating that PF and or JOX may be trying to stir up something. I can't believe that they would do anything as low brow as that.

[Shire5k 19]

It's not exactly a secret that some schools have higher enrollment standards than others. This person...just...wow. What an idiot.

[kwagoner 214]

Are you insinuating that PF and or JOX may be trying to stir up something. I can't believe that they would do anything as low brow as that.

I know it is a shocker!!

But seriously, they'd never do that.

[OldNewby 27]

Are you insinuating that PF and or JOX may be trying to stir up something. I can't believe that they would do anything as low brow as that.

It is hard work, but someone has to do it.

[TitanTiger 20,559]

It's not exactly a secret that some schools have higher enrollment standards than others. This person...just...wow. What an idiot.

However, the difference between AU and UA standards isn't a 24 on the ACT vs an 18. So someone lied to this person or they themselves are lying.

[AWK 0]

They are just making stuff up. Seriously, this guy's knowledge is as impressive as a fart in the wind.

[Shire5k 19]

It's not exactly a secret that some schools have higher enrollment standards than others. This person...just...wow. What an idiot.

However, the difference between AU and UA standards isn't a 24 on the ACT vs an 18. So someone lied to this person or they themselves are lying.

I think it's option number duece.

[AUesquire 1]

They are just making stuff up. Seriously, this guy's knowledge is as impressive as a fart in the wind.

Depends on how potent it is and who is standing down wind from you. Sometimes, they can be pretty impressive.

So, just how "Lilly white" was our recruiting class this year? Uuummm, not very..if I recall. Seems to me that everything I've ever read from someone who made the decision to sign with Auburn, no matter what color they were or what side of the mountain they were from, said they loved the school, the campus, the people...the whole atmosphere.

[TitanTiger 20,559]

And that's the rub and supports what we've been saying all along. There are people out there putting out some ridiculous disinformation about Auburn and telling these kids, their parents or just the public in general a bunch of nonsense.

[AuNuma1 1]

However, the difference between AU and UA standards isn't a 24 on the ACT vs an 18. So someone lied to this person or they themselves are lying.

Exactly. This "parent" didn't put very much effort into researching college admissions requirements for his kid. I don't know the enrollment standards for UAT but Auburn's enrollment "standards" are set by the very people enrolling at Auburn:

Exactly what ACT or SAT score and grade point average will it take to earn freshman admission? The answer will depend on the number and quality of students who apply this year. It also depends on our evaluation of each applicant's credentials. Plus, we have to take into account the limited number of places in the Freshman Class of 2008. Competition for these spaces will ultimately set the standards.

To give you some estimates on the quality of students accepted to Auburn University and a better understanding of the admission competition, here are the performance averages for our Fall 2006 class. The average ACT score for Fall 2006 was 24.3 (National average: 20.9) and the average SAT for Fall 2006 was 1170 (National average: 1013). The average high school GPA is 3.56.

http://www.auburn.edu/admissions/apply/ban...quirements.html

[mcgufcm 4,107]

The enrollment requirements are 100% false. For one, both student bodies AVERAGE (or at least did when I was there) at least a 24. Both of them. On top of that, I don't think UGA has a "lily white" feel despite the fact that they require higher than either school. Whoever that person is, that's one of the most insulting, racist statements on earth, insinuating that black students can't attend because of high standards. Awful.

What I will say is that Auburn is an extremely white campus. No questions asked. There is a reason the University has a recruiting group strictly targeted at recruiting minorities. There's a reason the engineering department does its own minority recruiting apart from the University. There is a reason we got chastised (and threatened) for having enrollment statistics that are not representative of the state. Auburn does not have a lot of diversity. Pretending otherwise is just putting your head in the sand. As one of my best friends put (black woman), "If I wanted a social life, I would've gone to Tuskegee; I came here for an education." That's how a lot of black students feel about Auburn.

I'm not sure what that means. I think the University has taken and is taking steps to ease the problem (and I may be in the minority on this, but I do think it's a problem), but you can't FORCE black students to attend. Auburn is next door to an HBC and close to Atlanta. It's going to be a long time before the demographics of the school shift. That's got nothing to do with the football team or the enrollment standards.

[TitanTiger 20,559]

However, the difference between AU and UA standards isn't a 24 on the ACT vs an 18. So someone lied to this person or they themselves are lying.

Exactly. This "parent" didn't put very much effort into researching college admissions requirements for his kid. I don't know the enrollment standards for UAT but Auburn's enrollment "standards" are set by the very people enrolling at Auburn:

Exactly what ACT or SAT score and grade point average will it take to earn freshman admission? The answer will depend on the number and quality of students who apply this year. It also depends on our evaluation of each applicant's credentials. Plus, we have to take into account the limited number of places in the Freshman Class of 2008. Competition for these spaces will ultimately set the standards.

To give you some estimates on the quality of students accepted to Auburn University and a better understanding of the admission competition, here are the performance averages for our Fall 2006 class. The average ACT score for Fall 2006 was 24.3 (National average: 20.9) and the average SAT for Fall 2006 was 1170 (National average: 1013). The average high school GPA is 3.56.

http://www.auburn.edu/admissions/apply/ban...quirements.html

And even those standards aren't something that's enforced like a law. It's just "what the average is" for Auburn students. Auburn adheres to the NCAA and SEC GPA and standardized test requirements just like Alabama does and pretty much every other SEC school not named Vanderbilt.

[SkeeterAUfan 0]

The enrollment requirements are 100% false. For one, both student bodies AVERAGE (or at least did when I was there) at least a 24. Both of them. On top of that, I don't think UGA has a "lily white" feel despite the fact that they require higher than either school. Whoever that person is, that's one of the most insulting, racist statements on earth, insinuating that black students can't attend because of high standards. Awful.

What I will say is that Auburn is an extremely white campus. No questions asked. There is a reason the University has a recruiting group strictly targeted at recruiting minorities. There's a reason the engineering department does its own minority recruiting apart from the University. There is a reason we got chastised (and threatened) for having enrollment statistics that are not representative of the state. Auburn does not have a lot of diversity. Pretending otherwise is just putting your head in the sand. As one of my best friends put (black woman), "If I wanted a social life, I would've gone to Tuskegee; I came here for an education." That's how a lot of black students feel about Auburn.

I'm not sure what that means. I think the University has taken and is taking steps to ease the problem (and I may be in the minority on this, but I do think it's a problem), but you can't FORCE black students to attend. Auburn is next door to an HBC and close to Atlanta. It's going to be a long time before the demographics of the school shift. That's got nothing to do with the football team or the enrollment standards.

I smell a bammer. I'd like to remind you of something, bammer: SIX IN A ROW! SIX! SIX SIX! (the number of the beast!)

[Shire5k 19]

The enrollment requirements are 100% false. For one, both student bodies AVERAGE (or at least did when I was there) at least a 24. Both of them. On top of that, I don't think UGA has a "lily white" feel despite the fact that they require higher than either school. Whoever that person is, that's one of the most insulting, racist statements on earth, insinuating that black students can't attend because of high standards. Awful.

What I will say is that Auburn is an extremely white campus. No questions asked. There is a reason the University has a recruiting group strictly targeted at recruiting minorities. There's a reason the engineering department does its own minority recruiting apart from the University. There is a reason we got chastised (and threatened) for having enrollment statistics that are not representative of the state. Auburn does not have a lot of diversity. Pretending otherwise is just putting your head in the sand. As one of my best friends put (black woman), "If I wanted a social life, I would've gone to Tuskegee; I came here for an education." That's how a lot of black students feel about Auburn.

I'm not sure what that means. I think the University has taken and is taking steps to ease the problem (and I may be in the minority on this, but I do think it's a problem), but you can't FORCE black students to attend. Auburn is next door to an HBC and close to Atlanta. It's going to be a long time before the demographics of the school shift. That's got nothing to do with the football team or the enrollment standards.

I smell a bammer. I'd like to remind you of something, bammer: SIX IN A ROW! SIX! SIX SIX! (the number of the beast!)

What?

[AuNuma1 1]

Auburn is next door to an HBC and close to Atlanta. It's going to be a long time before the demographics of the school shift. That's got nothing to do with the football team or the enrollment standards.

HBC?

[AUesquire 1]

The enrollment requirements are 100% false. For one, both student bodies AVERAGE (or at least did when I was there) at least a 24. Both of them. On top of that, I don't think UGA has a "lily white" feel despite the fact that they require higher than either school. Whoever that person is, that's one of the most insulting, racist statements on earth, insinuating that black students can't attend because of high standards. Awful.

What I will say is that Auburn is an extremely white campus. No questions asked. There is a reason the University has a recruiting group strictly targeted at recruiting minorities. There's a reason the engineering department does its own minority recruiting apart from the University. There is a reason we got chastised (and threatened) for having enrollment statistics that are not representative of the state. Auburn does not have a lot of diversity. Pretending otherwise is just putting your head in the sand. As one of my best friends put (black woman), "If I wanted a social life, I would've gone to Tuskegee; I came here for an education." That's how a lot of black students feel about Auburn.

I'm not sure what that means. I think the University has taken and is taking steps to ease the problem (and I may be in the minority on this, but I do think it's a problem), but you can't FORCE black students to attend. Auburn is next door to an HBC and close to Atlanta. It's going to be a long time before the demographics of the school shift. That's got nothing to do with the football team or the enrollment standards.

I smell a bammer. I'd like to remind you of something, bammer: SIX IN A ROW! SIX! SIX SIX! (the number of the beast!)

What?

I second the "What?"

Skeeter...dude...it's way too early in the day to be hittin' the sauce.

[kickinwang 0]

Auburn is next door to an HBC and close to Atlanta. It's going to be a long time before the demographics of the school shift. That's got nothing to do with the football team or the enrollment standards.

HBC?

historically black college (tuskegee)

[AuNuma1 1]

Ah, thanks.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

HBC – Historical Black College. It's the name of the conference that Jackson State and Grambling and Florida A&M are in. I'm saying Tuskegee's proximity lowers the number of black students that might otherwise attend Auburn.

And not only am I far from a "bammer," I didn't say anything truly disparaging about Auburn. All of that was true. We do have high enrollment standards. It doesn't directly affect minority enrollment. We do have an embarrassingly low percentage of minority students. The school does openly and explicitly recruit minority students (not just black). We did get called out for our demographics around 2000 by the national government. We are a victim of our surroundings, to an extent. We are trying to address the problem. Where's the negativity in that?

[TitanTiger 20,559]

The enrollment requirements are 100% false. For one, both student bodies AVERAGE (or at least did when I was there) at least a 24. Both of them. On top of that, I don't think UGA has a "lily white" feel despite the fact that they require higher than either school. Whoever that person is, that's one of the most insulting, racist statements on earth, insinuating that black students can't attend because of high standards. Awful.

What I will say is that Auburn is an extremely white campus. No questions asked. There is a reason the University has a recruiting group strictly targeted at recruiting minorities. There's a reason the engineering department does its own minority recruiting apart from the University. There is a reason we got chastised (and threatened) for having enrollment statistics that are not representative of the state. Auburn does not have a lot of diversity. Pretending otherwise is just putting your head in the sand. As one of my best friends put (black woman), "If I wanted a social life, I would've gone to Tuskegee; I came here for an education." That's how a lot of black students feel about Auburn.

I'm not sure what that means. I think the University has taken and is taking steps to ease the problem (and I may be in the minority on this, but I do think it's a problem), but you can't FORCE black students to attend. Auburn is next door to an HBC and close to Atlanta. It's going to be a long time before the demographics of the school shift. That's got nothing to do with the football team or the enrollment standards.

I smell a bammer. I'd like to remind you of something, bammer: SIX IN A ROW! SIX! SIX SIX! (the number of the beast!)

You've lost your mind.

[Aubie 0]

They are just making stuff up. Seriously, this guy's knowledge is as impressive as a fart in the wind.

[AU007 0]

Obviously, that guy hasnt looked at the football teams group picture in a while .