David Lucero, a University of Vermont senior, has been sent to New York City schools in efforts to recruit minority students into the environmental studies field at UVM. Although his efforts are admirable, the point is moot.

UVM is tucked away in the rural corners of Burlington, Vermont sitting across from Lake Champlain. One of the university’s most popular fields is, without a doubt, environmental studies. Lucero, a New York City native himself, is one of the few urban-bred minority students in the program. According to the New York Times, last year’s graduating class of the environmental school had 27 minority students from a class of about 400 students.

According to the Urban Dictionary, UVM students are made up of two things - the wannabe Vermonters and the trustafarians. The wannabes are the out-of-staters who are trying hard to be the Birkenstock-wearing hippies they think Vermonters are. The trustafarians, on the other hand, are the rich, white Vermont pot-smoking natives who also want to be hippies. That's it - there isn't much else on campus. See where I’m going with this?

As most predominantly white universities are trying desperately to fill their racial quotas, it’s apparent that UVM is doing the same. These schools are constantly put under scrutiny for not having enough diversity on campus but is this really the way to go?

First off, after growing up in an urban community, most students would never think twice about going off to East Bumble for college. Secondly, Lucero is going into big cities to look for students interested in environmental studies. Let’s get serious – the most exposure to nature these kids have gotten was probably their fourth grade field trip to Central Park.

Suppose (for a very hot second) Lucero succeeds in recruiting students from urban settings into the program, if most students go back home after graduation, what will they do with those degrees in cities? Nothing! I don't know too many NY-based farmers or environmentalists, just the thought of it is a complete contradiction.

I think UVM better rethink their recruiting strategy and instead of pushing minority students into useless majors, they try showing students everything the university has to offer.