<p>To add to rl.hill’s and coldwind’s comments about the value of a diverse student body . . . . I believe that a diverse student body is important in and of itself, as it benefits all students to live and learn among students who are not just like themselves. </p>
<p>I also think that when a sizable percentage of the student body is made up of students of color, that benefits Williams in another important way in that it attracts even more strong applicants of color and increases the chances that those students will enroll if admitted. A college that is perceived as very homogeneous may tend to lose applicants who might otherwise have been interested in the college but fear (reasonably or not) that it would not be a welcoming place for them. If Williams has increased the percentage of students of color who attend, that can only help to attract other strong applicants of color. In my view, the more highly qualified applicants there are, the stronger the admitted class over all will be, and one hopes, the enrolling class.</p>