Editorial:
Summer Welcome, Tour Team should incorporate diversity training
Published March 9, 2010
Many student groups are calling for diversity issues on campus to be addressed right away, especially during tours and Summer Welcome.
The cotton ball crimes at the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center aside, addressing diversity when students first come to campus could be beneficial, and it certainly won't hurt anything.
Diversity can be as simple as having Mizzou Tour Team leaders and Summer Welcome leaders from a variety of majors or hometowns, but we hope Summer Welcome continues the trend of being racially and ethnically diverse as well. There is more diversity within Summer Welcome Leaders than there is on campus in general.
Diversity among leaders isn't a problem. Students not being exposed to diversity issues they will face on campus are the issue. Students not being exposed to resources they could use on campus are the issue.
Tour Team should make a point to take students to the BCC and Center for Social Justice, not just when a student asks about them but as permanent stops. For students who might be too shy to ask about these resources, perhaps members of the LGBTQ community who don't want to out themselves in front of their entire tour, simply making these places permanent stops would be beneficial.
In addition, among the cutesy skits, role-playing games and group discussions Summer Welcome has, diversity issues could have a place. There's nothing wrong with asking students to have a frank discussion about diversity on campus.
Summer Welcome warns us about rape and drinking responsibly. It plugs the MU Bookstore when it explains students wear MU gear to class. Summer Welcome gives students a time to meet new people and ask uncensored questions to a fellow student. What's stopping the Summer Welcome leaders from saying to many students: "MU is more diverse than what you're used to. Sometimes you'll feel uncomfortable, but you'll have to embrace it"?
The Center for Social Justice already has a diversity training program that could easily be adapted for Summer Welcome. We know the leaders are trained, but teaching students about diversity issues when they first arrive could ultimately help the diversity climate on campus as well.
Adding resources and awareness to campus tours and Summer Welcome is a quick way to begin addressing a problem. It doesn't have to go through the system because it's not a general education requirement and nearly every student goes to Summer Welcome, so it's not a program that has limited outreach.
Not every student will want to discuss a tough issue at Summer Welcome, and not every student will utilize the resources shown to them, but every student will be exposed to it and know the resources are available.
Comments (2)
6:44 p.m., March 11, 2010
Also Logical said:
@Logical thinker: I think that to understand why this is a good idea requires us to understand what exactly the goal of it is. When you question whether or not "this will work", you seem to think the goal is to eradicate racism (and other -isms, by extension). The reality is that people understand reality just as well as you; there are some minds that cannot and will not be changed. However, we have to offer an environment on campus that is at least conducive to people feeling comfortable being whatever identity they are. Making the CSJ and BCC required stops on campus tours says that those things aren't frivolous, minor resources. It sends the message that they are just as reputable places for people to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves as Greek Town and Memorial Union are. It's all about inclusiveness. I disagree that we're "wasting our time".
3:03 p.m., March 9, 2010
Logical thinker said:
The funny thing about this idea is that you people actually think this will work. The cotton ball incident was isolated, it did not uncover some profound underlying problem yet to be discovered. I highly doubt a campus tour or diversity acceptance session during summer welcome would change their minds or their racist opinions. The fact is some people are racist. They will always be racist. We know Mizzou is not a racist school nor does its students tolerate racial slurs or actions. That being said, I feel we are wasting our time on something that is not an issue that is corroding our campus. Us talking about it is what is making this a bigger issue than before.