Dear Editor,
The column "Jay 101" by Jay Kenworthy, which was printed Friday,brings to light a lot of interesting information regarding the BallState University football team, as well as some perceivedtravesties of Blaine Brownell's presidential tenure and an overalllack of action by the president. What it displays most readily,however, is a blatant lack of adequate research.
Mr. Kenworthy fails to take into account the increase in studentretention rate that Brownell has helped build. In 1998, just beforeBrownell took office, a mere 68 percent of freshman returned for asecond year. Now that number has jumped to an impressive 80percent, with enrollment steadily increasing. Also consider thatthis increase in retention and enrollment took place despite thefact that he also raised academic admission standards. Kenworthyalso ignores a 28-point increase in the average SAT scores ofincoming freshman during the same period -- a large change,statistically speaking, in a university of 18,000.�Notconvinced?
What about the $20 million iCOM grant that was used to renovatethe telecommunications building and begin turning Ball State into acommunications powerhouse? Don't forget about the $21 million hehelped to get for the new Music Instruction Building, which willgive a proper home to the Music Engineering Technology program.Then there's that other $21 million secured this year for theconstruction of the new Communication Media Building, which willfurther build Ball State's growing reputation as one of the largestand best communications and media programs in the nation. Thesecontributions hardly seem insignificant.
Mr. Kenworthy's bitterly sarcastic column blatantly ignores thetrue facts. It shows that he did absolutely no research on thevalidity of his claim that Brownell's tenure was unproductive. Allof the information included in this article was available on theBall State web page; I found it all in less than 10 minutes.
Good journalism sometimes involves criticizing authority.However, baselessly blasting a public figure is both unethical andunwarranted. Whatever negative feelings you may have towardBrownell for any reason, keep in mind that he has advanced thisuniversity by leaps and bounds.
Mike Sayre
sophomore
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