Imagine that you are about to graduate. You've spent four years working hard, studying, working, participating in extracurricular activities, and interning in the summer. You're ready to start looking for a job, when you find out that you may not be able to don your cap and gown this spring. Why? Because you're too fat.

Given the ridiculousness of some programs that we see at Campus Reform (remember Fat Studies?), we shouldn't be surprised that Lincoln University in Pennsylvania now requires that students with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30 to take a physical education course in order to graduate.

As part of the university's core curriculum, campus health educators weigh and measure all freshmen during the fall semester, and later calculate each student's body-mass index, or BMI. Those with a BMI above 30, which suggests obesity, must enroll in a one-credit course called "Fitness for Life" before they graduate. Students can satisfy that requirement if they "test out"—by subsequently earning a BMI below 30—or by passing a sports course.

The program was implemented in 2006, but as those students are starting to graduate, many are starting to complain:

Ms. [Tiana Y.] Lawson described how it had taken years for her to accept that she would never be a size 2. "I didn't come to Lincoln to be told that my weight is not in an acceptable range," she wrote. "I came here to get an education which, as a three-time honor student, is something I have been doing quite well, despite the fact that I have a slightly high Body Mass Index."

There are numerous issues at hand here. Isn't this discrimination? How can a school require some students to take a course due to physical conditions while other students get a pass? Health concerns, such as obesity, are largely caused by lifestyle choices. However, genetics play a strong role in determining body size and muscle mass, which the BMI does not take into account. It is wrong to discriminate according to race, so shouldn't it be wrong to descriminate against someone who inherited genetics conditions that influence obesity and may artificially raise a BMI?

Secondly, there is major debate within the medical community if BMI is an accurate measure of obesity. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education article:

Within the medical community, however, the index has its doubters. Some experts have argued that the formula, which depends solely on height and weight, is too simplistic. Because it measures proportionate body weight—and not body fat—it may overestimate obesity, especially among athletes and those who are particularly muscular.

Some students may have medical conditions that may cause obesity, such as hormonal imbalances or are taking certain medications that cause weight gain. Are students who have legitimate health problems that increase a BMI going to be forced to take an additional class and absorb the additional costs?

If obesity is an "epidemic" as the administrators at Lincoln believe, will one physical education class solve all the health issues of students? How can one 15-week course change a lifetime of bad habits? If a student is overweight and is forced to take a class, will they truly make adjustments to lead a healthier life or just "study for a test?" How many people take calculus or biology and have life-changing moments? For most students, this will be one more hurdle that must be overcome in order to complete their education.

The biggest red flag here is the university's invasion into the private lives of its students. The university can chose to have healthy food in the cafeteria or require all students to take a PE course. It is outside the bounds of the educational system to decide who is "too fat to graduate" and who is not. According to Lincoln University's web site,

the faculty, students, administration and trustees of Lincoln University recognize the primacy of the institution's three historic purposes: 1) to teach honestly, and without fear of censure, what humankind has painfully and persistently learned about the environment and people; 2) to preserve this knowledge for the future; and 3) to add to this store of knowledge. Lincoln University remains committed to its historical purpose and to preserving its distinction as an intellectual and cultural resource for this region.

Students are attending Lincoln for an education that can be used in future career fields. They are not spending more than $17,000 a year to be told if they are overweight.