Contacted by Greenwich Time on Monday, Spurzem said that the comments in her letter were misconstrued. She explained that she had sent a personal note to Joanna Johnson, editor in chief of the “Sophian,” in response to a recent article on a possible student housing shortage due to a record number of applications, saying that students shouldn’t worry about it. Spurzem said that part of her letter, which was never meant for publication, was left out.

“I was speaking to her in an informal way to share with her my unsubstantiated views of the students who matriculate at Smith College,” Spurzem said. “This was not meant to defame the school, the students and the school’s admissions policy. It was simply to identify what I saw to be the demographic profile of the students who matriculated.”

Spurzem said that she, in fact, supports the increase in diversity at Smith.

“I referred to the days of women in cashmere and pearls merely to say that they were women of great wealth who have had the capacity, due to the great opportunities afforded them in life, to contribute substantially to the school,” Spurzem said. “I am convinced that the past and present students of Smith College will change the world and contribute to the school’s continuing efforts to promote education for women.”

Spurzem declined to comment on her statement that the change in demographics was “unfortunate.”

Read more: http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/Woman-says-Smith-College-comments-misconstrued-3365409.php#ixzz1njc9IjmJ