Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 17, 1990 TAG: 9005170422
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Medium
Liberty this spring has been sending out applications with the word "accepted" stamped boldly in red ink across the top of the form.
Boxes labeled "denied" and "postponed" are blank, while a box marked "accepted" is checked and initialed "GCB." Those are the initials of Glen C. Belden, Liberty's vice president of university relations and administration.
The university has been sending the form to anyone inquiring about the school's classes or catalog.
The traditional application process takes several weeks and follows ethical guidelines endorsed by the National Association of College Admission Counselors. Liberty is not an association member.
Sylvia Givens of Lynchburg said she requested a catalog because she wanted to see if the school still offers what she considers an offensive course on religious cults. Along with the catalog, she received the acceptance letter.
"When I saw it, I just laughed," Givens said. "I never heard of such a thing - acceptance without knowing what your grades are or even if you graduated?"
Some admissions counselors at other schools said Liberty's practice is misleading and may be unethical.
"It's certainly foreign to anything I've ever heard," said Julia Kozak, assistant dean of admissions at Washington & Lee University. "It's a marketing thing we would never consider using."
"Whether it's unethical or not, I'm not certain. It certainly borders on that," Kozak said. "If it's not unethical, at least it's not the morally right thing to do. Kind of ironic, isn't it?"
"That's outrageous," Hampden-Sydney College admissions director Robert H. Jones said after the procedure was described to him. "I've been in the business 25 years . . . but I've never heard of anything like that."
Belden, however, said the program is not "as dangerous . . . or as foolish as it appears on the surface." He said the acceptance is only provisional. If the applicant does not meet Liberty standards, the application would be rejected.
Frank Burtnett, executive director of the admissions counselors' association, said Liberty's practices go against the ethical admission methods his group endorses. He said stamping "accepted" on the application conflicts with one of the group's tenets, which says that member universities cannot offer admission to students who have not submitted applications.
Givens' letter, signed by Falwell, says: "It is my honor and privilege as chancellor to inform you of your acceptance at Liberty University for the fall semester of the 1990-91 academic year."
The second paragraph continues, "This means that I am going to personally endorse your acceptance upon your successful completion of our remaining enrollment requirements."
Liberty officials say the word "acceptance" means only that the student may apply.
"What we're saying is, `Hey, we're going to support your application because we want you at Liberty.' It's kind of a nudger," Belden said. "Yes, there is a possibility of misunderstanding if you don't read along closely with the letter. That's why I doubt we'll do it this way again."
Belden said more than 90 percent of Liberty's applicants are acceptable anyway, so he sees little harm in the express-enrollment program.
"We're not going to bring someone in that doesn't have a chance," Belden said.
Despite the criticism, Belden said the program works. Liberty applications are up 80 percent and confirmations are up 53 percent, he said.
"This has brought in a lot of applications," Belden said. "It's really helpful for those that are getting around to applying late."
by CNB