To the editor:

Your recent editorial with regard to Kansas University selecting a top candidate to head the admissions program was right on the mark. It brought to mind an unhappy experience which I had dealing with admissions several years ago.

Some good friends of ours had a daughter who was graduating from Blue Valley North High School. She was active in a wide variety of activities and graduated with a grade-point average of 4.28. She applied at several universities, but her preference was KU. When she received no communications from the admissions office, I called them to urge that they contact this outstanding prospect. Despite their promises to do so on two occasions, she was never contacted. By that time, she had been offered full scholarships from the University of Oklahoma and the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Having been active on the KU alumni board in Kansas City, I had developed a relationship with then-Chancellor Gene Budig. I called the chancellor and explained that the No. 1 student in her graduating class was being ignored by KU. With his intervention, she was quickly offered a full scholarship, which she accepted. She went on to graduate with a 3.5 grade average in electrical engineering.

Let’s hope that the incoming staff will be more responsive.

James G. Mason,

Leawood