In George Will’s June 10 column, Subprime college educations, he laments that while the University of California at San Diego lost three cancer researchers to Rice University, they were able to fund support programs for LGBT and other minority students.

But while the researchers will continue their work at Rice, without adequate support services many marginalized students will leave higher education. We’ll lose who knows how many potential cancer researchers and other professionals who will dramatically improve our lives.

Indeed, we will never know how much might have been achieved by now if all those whose identities had been stigmatized and educational plans discouraged had been able to fulfill their potential with the help of encouraging institutional support.

Meri-Jane Rochelson, professor, Florida International University,

North Miami