Ebony In The Ivory Towers

TS 2: How has diversity changed over the years? In the short article which is based off of her book, “Introduction from Place, Not Race: A New Vision of Opportunity in America” by Sheryll Cashin, the author talks about Abigail Fisher and the time when she was applying for her dream school, at the University of Texas. Fisher’s complaint about her admittance led to Fisher v. Texas; at that time, schools were using race as one of the factors for getting admitted into college. (Sheryll Cashin 714) As a nation, we have come a long way in terms of diversity and

Companies and educational institutions greatly benefit from the guidelines of affirmative action because they profit from the different ideas, work styles, and contributions unique to each diverse individual. As quoted in Paul Connors’s compilation, Affirmative Action, President of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, addresses the importance of a diverse educational system by stating, “The experience of arriving on a campus to live and study with classmates from a diverse range of backgrounds is essential to students' training for this new world, nurturing in them an instinct to reach out instead of clinging to the comforts of what seems natural or familiar” (12-13). A statement by Southeastern Oklahoma State University further supports the idea that success in modern day society stems from diversity saying, “Our country is strong because of the rich diversity of our culture, not in spite of it” (Affirmative Action).

Having served in higher education the past three years, I have grown in my appreciation for the complexities of colleges and universities. Specifically, I am fascinated by how institutions value diversity within their student population and among their employees. Over the past two years colleges and universities have had to confront their racist past to understand their student population. Christian higher education has not been immune to this soul searching. Christian institutions must recognize diversity as a biblical and institutional imperative to embrace institutional inclusive excellence. Diversity needs to be embraced for institutions to survive in a pluralistic and changing society. As higher education faces a tumultuous future, there is a heightened need for diverse administrators who can navigate and effectively lead institutions towards inclusive excellence.

A conversation needs to be had regarding the effects of diversity. Diversity in practical terms is the inclusion of people from different walks of life whether it be color, race, or heritage. This topic is one that is sensitive for many people because of the history attached to this subject. In the past decade there has been instances where the supreme court has had to address the topic of “Diversity” to justify this ongoing debate. Like in the supreme court, college campuses have also discussed diversity in their college for a multitude of reasons. Additionally, they too have found many reoccurring problems relating to diversity, which will be addressed in this paper.

According to Obear and Martinez (2013), race caucuses “can be a powerful multicultural incentive to deepen the competencies of higher education administrators and student affairs practitioners to create equitable, inclusive campus environment for students and staff” (p. 79). This article discusses how diversity training targets racism on college campuses. Race caucuses can deepen the competences of higher education leaders by making it possible for them recognize racism, internalized dominance, internalized oppression, and its impact on personal and profession development within the institution. By using this type of methodology, universities are slowly seeing social and organizational change that eliminates racial barriers.

Klyukovski, I pondered how my institution dealt with diversity. He proposed examining Truman’s vision statement to understand what the institution will do when issues of diversity arise. After conducting some preliminary research on vision statements and generic criticism, I knew this is what I wanted to study.

As an African-American female coming here to Kutztown was a new experience. Attending a predominantly white school was nothing new to me, but coming from a city schooling experience was completely different than the town setting of Kutztown University. It was difficult getting adjusted to life at Kutztown, I did not know anyone and I did not have a roommate for the better part of my first semester; I kept to myself more. The diversity of Kutztown is not apparent at all. It’s buried under A.C.E. activities or mainstream organization funding. In direct correlation to the educational aspect of the matter, most professors that I have encountered are aware of the various issues are respectful to everyone so I speak for my peers. The diversity issue on campus comes into play within the student population.

are national figures, and because of their status in the academic world- they need to use their voices to create an equal admissions ground where they can expand into furthering their diversity of students. Their voices are powerful enough to so that they can carry and share their strategies

In some workplaces in the United States, there appears to be a lack of diversity amongst employees. Although it might not be intentional, an example of this can be seen in college campuses. “While the numbers of undergraduate and graduate students of color on college campuses have risen over the years, the growth in the numbers of faculty of color has lagged far behind” (Antonio, 2003; Villalpando & Delgado Bernal, as cited in Jayakumar, Howard, Allen, and Han, 2009). Having a more diverse faculty and staff would increase the sense of connection among others, as well as decrease the amount of privilege certain groups have over others. Employees would be able to see things from different types of perspectives, rather than one point of view. According to Nancy Cantor, a former college administrative officer in Michigan, "Diversity really is intellectual and social diversity, and that is what interdisciplinarity does.

As most of the respondents were people of color, they discussed how it is very evident that the university is predominantly white. Raha Haghnia, a second year student at the Multicultural Center and coordinator of Culture Fest, had an interesting response. “Personally I don’t even notice until I walk around campus or I’m in class because when I’m at the MCC with my friends, everyone is a person of color or from an immigrant background.” With most of the work Raha facilitates, she is surrounded by a diverse group. She insisted the Multicultural Center has made her experience much better at Cal Poly. Isamar Hernandez, a fourth year in student government, expressed similar feelings. However, she was the only respondent that expressed optimism with the current numbers. “I think every year the diversity rates go up a little bit. It’s also a reflection of some of the changes that have already happened on campus, as well as the ongoing fight for more inclusion and better diversity rates.” Isamar currently manages collaboration among student government and the Cross Cultural Centers, and she has strong leadership roles in each

Discussing diversity and inclusivity, specifically in the context of a university, is an extremely hard subject to broach. It can be sensitive for some, or even difficult to acknowledge for others. However, it is one of many subjects that, while difficult, is also equally as important to discuss. And when it is discussed in a manner that acknowledges its importance while being conscience of its sensitive nature, it can be truly beneficial and enlightening to the reader, which I believe you’ve accomplished extremely well. I would first like to take a closer look at how you refer to diversity on campus through your article. You describe it as something we as a society view only as a number or statistic, as a way for an organization to be able to make the claim that they are not “involved with the specter of racism.” You also make the claim that because of diversity being viewed as a number, it gives organizations a way to avoid combating circumstances and actions of racism by presenting a statistic of diversity that, upon closer inspection, really has no correlation to racism. I think these points a very legitimate. Collegefactual.com lists SIUC as being above the national average of ethnic diversity, yet this tells us nothing about instances of racism occurring on campus. However, you focus a lot on how this view of diversity being reduced to a number affects organizations and how these organizations may incorrectly use this perspective to combat the idea of racism existing

I am intrigued by Yale’s eccentric communal environment. Furthermore, the diverse student body creates a fascinating and engaging atmosphere throughout campus. Also, I appreciate the overall ethnic, religious, economic, and geographical diversity because it will expose me to endless perspectives. Aside the diverse campus, the rigor of the academics definitely corresponds to my significant academic interests, specifically in social issues and their effects on all other aspects of a population.

Even after consolidation, he did not stop his support to the university as it relates to diversity. Dr. Johnson is a valuable member of the university diversity committee and was essential to the creation of diversity survey. Not only, Dr. Johnson dedicates his time to the survey but he also made this project a learning opportunity for some of his students by giving them an opportunity to be engaged in real research. It is this kind of learning opportunities that makes the University of Georgia a premier educational institution. Beyond the diversity committee, John has also served as a mentor to some of our MSA student organization such as AAMI program (African- American Male Initiative) and BSU (Black Student Union).

Harvard Business Review September, 1996 / October, 1996 HEADLINE: MAKING DIFFERENCES MATTER: A NEW PARADIGM FOR MANAGING DIVERSITY BYLINE: by David A. Thomas and Robin J. Ely; David A. Thomas is an associate professor at the Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts. Robin J. Ely is an associate professor at Columbia University 's School of International and Public Affairs in New York City. Their research and teaching focus on the influence of race, gender, and ethnicity on career dynamics and organizational effectiveness. ABSTRACT: MAKING DIFFERENCES MATTER: A NEW PARADIGM FOR MANAGING DIVERSITY DAVID A. THOMAS and ROBIN J. ELY Diversity efforts in the workplace have been undertaken with great goodwill, but, ironically, they often

The first thing to acknowledge about diversity is that it can be difficult. In the U.S., where the dialogue of inclusion is relatively advanced, even the mention of the word “diversity” can lead to anxiety and conflict. Supreme Court justices disagree on the virtues of diversity and the means for achieving it. Corporations spend billions of dollars to attract and manage diversity both internally and externally, yet they still face discrimination lawsuits, and the leadership ranks of the business world remain predominantly white and male.