College scholarships for white men only

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/texas-state-students-offer-scholarships-exclusively-for-white-1279749.html

Texas State students offer scholarships exclusively for white males
Group founder Colby Bohannan says his demographic is often left out when it comes to college funding.
By Patrick George
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 8:26 a.m. Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Published: 7:59 p.m. Thursday, February 24, 2011





SAN MARCOS — Colby Bohannan said that when he first applied to college, his family didn't have a huge stockpile of money set aside to pay for school. He found many scholarships for women and minorities, but none aimed at people like him: white men.

"I felt excluded," said Bohannan, a Texas State University student. "If everyone else can find scholarships, why are we left out?"

So Bohannan, a mass communication major and Iraq war veteran, and others formed the Former Majority Association for Equality — a San Marcos-based nonprofit group that is offering five $500 scholarships exclusively to white male students.

Bohannan, the group's president, said the name comes from the idea that "if you're not a male, and if you're not white, you're called a minority." However, he said, "I'm not sure white males are the majority anymore."

Recent U.S. census data indicate Bohannan is right, at least in Texas, where Hispanics accounted for two-thirds of the population growth over the past decade and where non-Hispanic whites now make up about 45 percent of residents.

The 501(c)3 nonprofit was formally incorporated with the state in March. The group hasn't received any applications, Bohannan said.

A search of public records indicates Bohannan pleaded no contest to charges of theft of property of less than $500 in 2001 and of issuance of a bad check in 2003. William Lake , the group's treasurer, pleaded no contest to issuance of a bad check in 2008.

Bohannan said he was charged with theft after authorities found a county speed limit sign in his Texas State dorm room and with writing a bad check for groceries, also while in college. Lake said he was charged with writing a bad check while managing a now-defunct business he started. Both said the charges have been disposed of.

Bohannan said the group is raising money — as of Monday , the group had raised $485, according to its website — and that he hopes to award scholarships by July 4. The money can be used to go to any college, not just Texas State, Bohannan said.

Applicants need to be at least 25 percent Caucasian, have a GPA exceeding 3.0 and demonstrate financial need.

"There's a scholarship out there for just about any demographic, except this one," Lake said. "We realize it's for good reason — this is a touchy subject."

Bohannan said the nine-member volunteer board includes three women, one Hispanic and one African American.

Bohannan said that in person, he's only been met with support for his group. But online, he said, he's seen some criticism.

One opinion column that ran in the Texas State newspaper, the University Star, offered praise for evening the scholarship playing field, while another argued aid should not be given on the basis of race or ethnicity at all.

Joanne Smith , Texas State's vice president for student affairs, said the scholarship is no different from ones offered to other ethnic groups. "From the university's standpoint, we can't take issue with a scholarship offered to a certain group."

Bohannan's group isn't the first to offer scholarships only for white students. In 2006, Boston University's College Republicans created a program with similar requirements. A Republican group at a university in Rhode Island offered a similar award in 2004.

Those groups claimed the scholarships made a statement against affirmative action. Bohannan said his group is not taking any stance for or against affirmative action.

"It's time in our society to look at the way our culture views race," he said. "It's time to give everyone an equal shot."

pgeorge@statesman.com;

512-392-8750

Nhaiyel wrote:Just someone trying to make a provocative enough statement to get them some press. I recall about five years ago there was some other guy who called himself starting a college scholarship fund, exclusive to white males. God only knows how that later panned out. Is it "racist?" Maybe, maybe not; but, really, that's not the point. This is more about making a patronizing rebuttal to the scholarships in place to assist minorities (who have a collective history of being shut out of things like attending college) than about trying to financially assist white men who're trying to go to school. I know it, and they know it. But, hey, it is their money…

Impact wrote:By definition, any scholarship where race is part of the qualifying criteria could be considered "racist." Should all such scholarships be disallowed? Not at all. Any scholarship that is not publicly funded should be able to set its own qualifying criteria.