Dear Editor,
Regarding The Daily Universe’s Jan. 16 article, “BYU culture draws top faculty,” there are some facts that students should be aware of.
Regardless of the high quality of faculty that are currently employed at BYU, the hiring practices at this university are somewhat different than at other academic research institutions.
Currently, although this has not always been the case, BYU gives preference to potential faculty researchers who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This choice has the potential to exclude more qualified researchers from being hired in exchange for lesser-qualified individuals who are members of the church, even if these candidates are willing to accept and uphold university standards.
This is not to say that those faculty who may be hired due to such a consideration are not qualified.
However, as a graduate student who is here solely to receive the highest quality graduate education possible, it concerns me that the university would possibly not consider interviewing or hiring potential non-member faculty who have a research and publication record that exceeds candidates who happen to be church members.
This is a private university, and as such has the right (I presume) to set hiring and employment standards under whatever moral or ethical guidelines it chooses.
Students should just be aware of this fact.
Daniel W. Carpenter
Grand Junction, Colo.
