Campus Diversity and Birds of a Feather  Campus Diversity and
Birds of a Feather  How significant is student diversity to
current and prospective students?  Two seemingly basic
principles of human dynamics, "birds of a feather flock
together" and "opposites attract one another," in fact represent
a highly complex issue for college-bound students and
institutions of higher ed. Diversification of college campuses
through proactive recruiting and intentional admissions policies
has been the most protracted, sensitive, and, in some circles,
inflammatory issue confronting administrators in recent years.
Our purpose here is not to address the complex legal and
political elements of the affirmative action debate. We do,
however, want to discuss the significance of student
diversification to present and prospective students.  Students
yearn to get the lives they've dreamed of via exposure to new
ideas, people, and activities.  We find that the vast majority
of students contemplating the rite of passage of leaving ho