By Darren Mcvey
The sight of lamps and candles and the smell of Indian food filled the Student Activities Center in celebration of Diwali. Because of Diwali, students from all kinds of backgrounds got the chance to eat exotic foods, watch foreign dances and experience Indian culture. Diwali is a perfect example of the importance carried by University of Louisville’s diversity programs.
To many Americans, the words diversity and tolerance conjure up thoughts of reverse racism and anti-Americanism. Diversity usually means lowering admissions standards to make white liberals feel better about being racists. In fact, a visit to University of Colorado’s “Diversity and Equity” Web site epitomizes the recent liberal tradition of reducing ideals to catchphrases and values to meaningless jargon. UC claims, “learning about, understanding and supporting diversity includes some of the following: Feeling hurt and increasing self-awareness.” They continue to list empty catchwords like trust, self-censoring, and validation. These words are all about “how do you feel?” not “what is right?”
UC, however, is not alone in lazy ideals and misguided goals. Nearly every university’s brochure contains several pages boasting about how many black students go to their school. In his April 11, 2004 essay in the New York Times Magazine, Walter Benn Michaels, an English professor at University of Illinois-Chicago, laments the fact that while his university is over-crowded and under-funded, their final admissions letters are boasting about false diversity. UC’s student population may be 9 percent African-American and 13 percet Hispanic, but college students from all races are of the same culture, the upper middle-class.
While most colleges brag about numbers and code words, the University of Louisville shows how diversity can be done right. U of L seems to understand that diversity is not about the color of the kids on campus or brainwashing students with catchphrases. Any effective diversity program should include two components. A diversity program needs to reveal what students have to teach each other about universal values and specific cultures. But more importantly, the goal of diversity is to make diverse students feel at home on campus.
U of L’s vice provost for diversity and equal opportunity, Dr. Mordean Taylor-Archer, echoes that principle in the vision statement of her department: “To build an inclusive campus community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and can develop to his/her full potential.” Now that’s diversity. And U of L backs it up with action.
U of L has support services for minority students including an entire department to see that diverse students are not ignored. There is a Recognized Student Organization for every student, including the Indian Student Association, Common Ground, and many others. These groups don’t just have meetings and fundraisers; they engage the student body and invite everyone to feel at home with their culture, even if for just one night.
Diwali does more to teach students about Indian culture than any class could, but more importantly it gives Indian students a chance to celebrate their culture and have other students appreciate it.
Every student feels different, but it’s nice to be at home sometimes.
Congratulations, U of L, on a meaningful diversity program.
Darren McVey is an opinion columnist for The Cardinal. E-mail him at opinion@louisvillecardinal.com.
