Dear Editor,
Spotlight Weekend is one of the special events scheduled during spring just before to the May 1 National Candidates Reply Date. In an effort to attract students to campus before they make their final college choice on May 1, we together with ULV students, host accepted students for an overnight stay.
Historically, Spotlight Weekend has proven to be our most successful event, with approximately 75 percent of our guests enrolling in the fall. Over a two-week period, 30 individuals called 549 accepted students to ensure the success of this critical event.
Spotlight was scheduled to begin on the evening of Friday, April 15, 1988. That same day the Campus Times ran a story with a headline reading “Students frightened after break-in/ULV coeds assaulted at Stu-Han.” The admissions staff reacted with dismay. It is indeed unfortunate for any student to have such a traumatic experience.
However, we were especially concerned that parents of our guests would become alarmed and question the safety of their children staying with us that evening.
After much consideration and discussion the Admissions staff agreed that this was an isolated incident that the University responded to in a responsible manner and it was not representative of the ULV experience.
We sincerely believed that parents reading the article would have reacted in a negative manner and that it would have serious implications on enrollment.
The staff expressed concern to many individuals who came by to comment on the coincidence of the article appearing on the morning of Spotlight Weekend.
If our discussions initiated or promoted the removal of the Campus Times issues from various campus locations, I take full responsibility. Spotlight Weekend is an Admissions Office function and as director of Admissions I am responsible for all individuals working on our behalf.
The entire staff is truly concerned that this occurrence has resulted in negative feelings among those associated with the Campus Times and others in the ULV community. I apologize on behalf of the Office of Admissions.
Adeline Cardenas-Clague
Director of Admissions
