U. S. News Reports High Ethnic Diversity at Andrews University. Andrews University is listed as the second-most ethnically diversity institution of higher learning by U. S. News in its education rankings. Since Adventist students from around the world attend Andrews University, this may seem less surprising to Adventists than to the general public. From US News, "Campus Ethnic Diversity: National Universities."
I like apples. And oranges. With some grapes and bananas all chunked up, maybe even some mango and coconut, it makes a great fruit salad. But I’m not quite sure what that has to do with closing the spaghetti factory.
Although it is not mentioned here (and the link to the referenced article contains a bug), the same US News report lists Union College (Lincoln, NE) as #1 for Regional Colleges - Midwest, Pacific Union College as #2 in diversity among Liberal Arts Colleges and La Sierra University is listed at #12 on the Regional Universities - West list.
Of note, as well, are Adventist colleges and universities that placed far down on the list or not at all. For instance, what would account for great diversity at Union College and not at Southern Adventist University or at Southwestern Adventist University? If diversity is an asset, are students at these non-ranking institutions shortchanged of any of these implied advantages?
The focus is on diversity of student body but not faculty. That makes all the difference. If the faculty were more diversified, the students would be the beneficiaries. Having all faculty of the same religious beliefs deprives the students of wide divergent philosophies and ideas to stretch their minds and force them to do more critical thinking about their own beliefs and philosophies.
I could not access the US News report, however this report http://www.bestcolleges.com/features/most-diverse-colleges/ ranks Andrews at No. 14, Southwestern at no. 24 and LaSierra at no. 27. Must be two different methods at arriving at their rankings. Diversity in my view is always a plus. There are some, however, who don’t want this diversity.
Maybe I’m missing something, but at any Christian school, one would expect to have teachers who profess the same beliefs as the sponsoring church. Students have their entire lives to expose themselves to “divergent philosophies.” In fact, they will have a hard time avoiding them. It’s not the job of our schools to provide a smorgasbord filled with “divergent philosophies.” Their minds can be stretched quite nicely with the basic courses in Bible study, science, and history, along with practical courses such as agriculture and auto mechanics.
