Diversity: Not so Black and White

Recently, there have been complaints that IWU, as a campus community, lacks diversity. But what does it mean for a campus to possess diversity? It is very easy to view the role of diversity as simply the inclusion and recognition of minorities. While it is important to acknowledge a person’s racial background, it should not be the defining characteristic of that person nor should it be the defining characteristic of diversity.  

Diversity is defined as the state or fact of being diverse, possessing variety and multiformity. At IWU, however, diversity has become a loaded term. There have been times when diversity programming on campus targets race more than any other aspect of a person. In doing so, many other unique characteristics – all of which deserve to be celebrated – are left out. I believe that, when addressing issues of diversity, our campus community should acknowledge more aspects of life than a person’s racial background.

In addition to race, diversity could refer to a person’s religion, sexuality, gender, socioeconomic status, region of origin, personal interests and life experiences; among other things. When considering all of these additional factors, it is fair to say that IWU possesses an eclectic community. The diversity on campus is shaped by both the contributions of the students and the guidance of the university mentors such as professors and professional staff members.

Wesleyan has a history of successful diversity programming. IWU Pride introduced the No H8 campaign to campus and celebrates the LGBT community at the annual drag ball. The office of the Chaplain takes great care to create events to represent the needs of various religious denominations. Socioeconomic status is addressed at the annual Hunger Banquet. These programs have been traditionally successful because they combine quality education and entertainment. These events create a dialog among participants that transcends the program, itself.

It is important that we, as an academic community, continue to explore the aspects of diversity among us. With this in mind, campus programming should be designed to integrate diversity into the lives of IWU students. At the same time, students at IWU should be open to experiencing and embracing both their own and each other’s differences.