<p>It is clear that the people of Vanderbilt (students, administrators, faculty) have generated substantial momentum in creating a positive academic and social environment that welcomes individuals well beyond the historical stereotypes of the school. While there is always more work to be done, the school is undeniably on a roll. The VU adminstrators intend to leverage this momentum and continue to add to Vanderbilt’s burgeoning national reputation. The expected result-stronger and more diverse student body, higher profile and respect for VU’s academic strength, and a national university brand equal in strength to the very best schools in the country. </p>
<p>With credit and thanks to 2VU0609 for pointing it out, the following article was published today in the online edition of InsideVandy. </p>
<p>"Students are not the only ones concerned with university stereotypes. Administrators also have a vested interest in the way Vanderbilt is perceived in the minds of the general public. </p>
<p>Douglas Christiansen, associate provost for enrollment and dean of admissions, admits he had subscribed to some of the stereotypes about Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>Before accepting his current position in the summer of 2006, Christiansen said he had heard a lot of positive things about the university, however he also found himself thinking of Vanderbilt as a bit elitist and imagined its students as privileged, highly competitive students who did not embody a great deal of diversity. </p>
<p>“Almost all of my prior perceptions were proved wrong,” Christiansen said. “To the contrary, I have found students not self-absorbed, conscious of their surroundings, concerned about diversity and concerned about access for students. People are balanced.” </p>
<p>It is for this reason and because he feels his own prior perceptions are similar to those of most outsiders that he believes a better job must be done in marketing and describing the institution to a broader audience, especially prospective students. </p>
<p>“I worry that there is a student out there that we need here, but because they may have bought into that stereotype and we didn’t do enough to counteract and set it straight, we lose out on them being in our class because they don’t ever apply,” Christiansen said. </p>
<p>The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is doing a number of things that Christiansen hopes will aid in breaking down the stereotypes attached to Vanderbilt and its students. </p>
<p>Along with instituting a more directed marketing plan, Christiansen said a revamping of the admissions Web site will help to dispel stereotypes in the minds of potential applicants. </p>
<p>“The reason (we are redoing the Web site) is because the old one was kind of stoic,” Christiansen said. “It kind of almost gave a sense of upper-crusty.”</p>
<p>According to Christiansen, the new Web site will be up and running sometime next month and will feature student blogs, testimonials and videos in order to give students a more focused view of life at Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>He also pointed to the recent increase in the number of students on financial aid and the increase in the number of underrepresented students in this year’s freshman class as facts that debunk common stereotypes people may have. </p>
<p>“I think that those are things that are giving us the ability to not just say that it’s not true but to show that it’s not true,” Christiansen said. “The proof is in the pudding.” </p>
<p>Michael Schoenfeld, vice chancellor for public affairs, also believes that the facts speak for themselves in terms of representing the university to the public. </p>
<p>“Vanderbilt represents Vanderbilt to the world,” Schoenfeld said. “What our students, faculty and staff do reflects Vanderbilt.”</p>
<p>While Schoenfeld said his office does try to disseminate news that highlight the positive aspects of Vanderbilt’s campus, it is difficult for any office to manage the university’s image. </p>
<p>“Most of the time (the news) is what we want people to know and to see,” Schoenfeld said. “But it would be impossible to eliminate controversial or bad news. We are a top university, which means that successes get magnified but problems and controversies get magnified beyond their importance.”</p>
<p>Overall, Schoenfeld is pleased with the way the public views Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>“All of the research we’ve done and that I have seen shows that Vanderbilt has very high name recognition and very high positive association,” Schoenfeld said. </p>
<p>Neil Devine, a member of the Nashville community for 32 years, validates these findings. </p>
<p>Devine’s frequent interactions with Vanderbilt students and alumni have greatly influenced the way he perceives Vanderbilt. </p>
<p>“I have known a lot of Vanderbilt graduates, and they are all very intelligent and they have a vision of where they want to be,” Devine said. </p>
<p>He readily identified Vanderbilt as an upstanding school with high ethics. </p>
<p>“I don’t see any real egos at Vanderbilt,” Devine said. “You may, but I don’t.” </p>
<p>He attributes part of Vanderbilt’s current success in terms of public perception to Chancellor Gordon Gee. Devine said since Gee became chancellor his perceptions of Vanderbilt have gotten stronger. </p>
<p>“If any of my children were mentally able to go there and were able to get some type of financial package, I would send them there in a heartbeat,” Devine said. </p>
<p>Shavonne Caldwell, a senior at Fisk University said her view of Vanderbilt has also been shaped by the interactions she has had with Vanderbilt students. </p>
<p>“Since I have gotten to know people who go there it seems like a really nice school, but if I hadn’t looked beyond the surface I may have relied on my stereotypical opinion,” Caldwell said. "</p>