The original article had been extremely critical of state colleges generally. Two of the responses are from Massachusetts state college faculty members. I'd like to reiterate some positive news about state colleges. Your readers might be left with the impression that Fitchburg has had no success in attracting students with stronger academic backgrounds.
State colleges have some significant advantages over large research universities.
Faculty members at Fitchburg see their primary role as teachers and advisers of students. While many faculty members also conduct research, teaching is the primary criterion used for tenure and promotion. Our classes are small and are taught by professors, not teaching assistants. State colleges are clearly ahead of research-focused universities in the first and the third of these elements. In the area of service, especially service to local communities, there is no comparison.