Thanks
to advocates and other public/government officials, race and diversity is once again a topic of national
discussion (as it should be). However, one important component of this
conversation we need to be talking about more is diversity on college campuses, especially smaller ones.
A study from 2013 conducted by The Georgetown University Center on and Education and the Workforce shows that even the top colleges in the country have a "diversity problem."
But what does it look like to lack diversity? And what can schools do to combat this issue?
The fact is, in 2016 most minority groups are still underrepresented in higher education. This is due to many reasons such as admissions that are not race sensitive, financial deficits and education gaps that leave many minorities unprepared for college.
The diversity problem is not only with the student population but with the faculty as well. Numerous studies have shown that the majority of university professors in the U.S. are white males.
The lack of diversity leads to a lack of knowledge which in turn leads to ignorance. College and universities can't just hope their school does not gain national attention for this-or-that-racist scandal. Administrators can not sit idly by, waiting to do damage control.
Most college and universities in the U.S. have "increasing diversity" somewhere in their mission statements, but in 2016, it's time to let actions speak louder then words.
After a racist photograph calling a group of black students "monkeys" made waves on social media, Indiana University of Pennsylvania president Michael A. Driscoll called for increased inclusion and tolerance.
"Perhaps we’d like to think this was an isolated incident, but that is not true," Driscoll said in a Jan. 18 e-mail to students, "IUP, and our nation, in spite of their goodness, are infected with the disease of racism."
The e-mail goes on to detail a list of "first action steps" that the university will be taking to combat these issues. These steps include training employees and working with students on the topics of diversity and inclusion. Driscoll also encourage students to take part in already planned events about race as well as looked to add new ones to the schedule this coming semester. He looks to review the university student conduct code as well as appoint a President's Commission on Diversity and Inclusion.
He ends the e-mail by quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
"Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."
The steps outlined by Driscoll are only the beginning to putting the campus on the right track to inclusion and tolerance of diverse communities. The implementation and success of these steps remain to be seen. Colleges and universities should also work to make their teaching staffs more diverse to reflect the ever evolving face of this country. But, these are steps that any college or university can take to combat these issues.
Many people agree that increasing diversity on college campuses is a good thing. In fact, according to an article on the US News and World Report website, increasing diversity on college campuses has many positive outcomes. These include expanding worldliness and enhancing social development. Also, more diversity can also help students in their future careers and enhance their self-awareness. Numerous studies have shown that we learn better from people who are unlike us.
For many college students, this is the first time they have had the chance to interact with people from different races, religions, etc. While interacting with new groups of people may push some college students outside of their comfort zones, it may also challenge some people to abandon their prejudices and in the end make college campuses a more accepting place.
