Imagine not getting into your top choice college because of your race or gender. To celebrate Women's History Month and discuss race, class, and gender issues, Paula Rothenberg presented the annual Genevieve Staudt Guestship lecture on Thursday, March 9 at Elmhurst College.
        Rothenberg is the director of The New Jersey Project on Inclusive Scholarship, Curriculum, and Teaching, professor of philosophy and women's studies at William Paterson University and author of "Invisible Privilege: A Memoir About Race, Class, and Gender, White Privilege: Readings on the Other Side of Racism, and Beyond Borders: Thinking Critically About Global Issues." She centered her lecture on women's place in history, diversity in the world today and discrimination in schools and the workplace.
        Rothenberg began with the history of women at Elmhurst College. In 1930, the first white woman was enrolled at EC, and by 1997 women made up the majority of students at higher education institutions across the nation.
        EC junior Lauren Corso thought the history Rothenberg presented was "very interesting because it was really relevant to all the students at EC."
        Rothenberg moved on to say that white male privilege exists in today's society, as white males are dominant and all others are seen as minorities. She gave the example that when colleges write their profiles they never consider whites a minority, even if another race is more numerically dominant.
        She then went on to say that "knowledge is positional" and it is important to identify and understand the perspective from which one is being taught. Rothenberg challenged her audience to ask "whose view" and "whose reality" they are exposing themselves to.

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        According to the Elmhurst College Office of Admissions, approximately 1,700 current high school students have applied to EC this year, and each day some of them visit the EC campus as part of their college decision making process. But have you ever wondered what actually goes into "convincing" students that EC really is "what college ought to be?"
        How about $50? Sound like enough incentive to choose Elmhurst over one of its competitors?
        When a prospective student (and their family) walks into the Office of Admissions, on the second floor of Goebel Hall, they are greeted by comfy couches, and all around hospitality.

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        Elmhurst College students, and college students across the nation, may see dramatic changes to their next financial aid packages should Congress pass President George Bush's proposed federal budget for the 2007 fiscal year.
        The proposed budget calls for the elimination of the Perkins Loan Program, which is awarded to students with the greatest financial need from funds made available by the federal government. The loans typically carry a five percent interest rate and repayment normally does not begin until nine months after graduation.
        According to Kathy Maxwell, EC assistant director of financial aid, 261 EC students currently have a Perkins loan included in their financial aid package, with the total loan amount per student equaling $1,340.
        Since 2000, tuition and fees at public four-year colleges nation-wide have increased 57 percent. Tuition at private four-year colleges have increased 32 percent.
        At EC alone, tuition has increased more than 26 percent since 2000.

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