Pwell, Wyo.» The president of Northwest College in Powell says he'll keep religion out of his recruitment efforts after a recent mailing to Mormon high school students raised ire on campus.

Paul Prestwich wrote an e-mail to students and faculty members on Tuesday saying religion won't be the focus of the school's formal recruitment efforts in the future.

Prestwich, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sent about 1,000 letters to LDS teens last month touting the benefits that the school and community offer students of that faith. The letters were written on school letterhead and were accompanied by a letter on church letterhead from Fred Hopkin, president of the Mormon church's Cody Wyoming Stake.

Some students and faculty members were angered by the mailing, saying it inappropriately blurred the separation of church and state.

In his e-mail, Prestwich said previous college administrations sent out similar mailings to LDS students.

"Although none of our earlier mailings to LDS students received much attention, this time the effort has been the subject of criticism. To be blunt, we hit a nerve! I apologize for that," Prestwich wrote.

He also said benefactors had volunteered to reimburse the college for the mailing, which a college spokeswoman said cost about $630.

Prestwich's announcement followed a meeting of college employees last Thursday during which many expressed concern about the recruitment letter.

Rob Koelling, chairman of the Humanities Division, said the college's mission can sometimes be skewed by pressures to remain economically viable and increase enrollment. The controversy had proved to be big distraction, he said.

"An underlying concern is the possibility of the character of this institution changing," Koelling told Prestwich during the meeting.

Hopkin, president of the Cody LDS Stake, said the college contacted him in 2002 and this year to participate in recruitment mailings. As a supporter of Northwest College, he was happy to help.

He said he was surprised by the heated debate generated by the letter.

"I can see the premise for the concern, but if you really analyze it, I don't see it as a conflict," Hopkin said. "The college should use available resources to reach its ends."