The Importance of Diversity听
Amid vigorous national debate about diversity on college campuses, CU has reaffirmed its commitment to provide a welcoming environment for all students.
Why a renewed push on diversity?
It鈥檚 one of our institutional values and听guiding principles, and also a critical听conversation happening nationally. We听have made progress in recent years,听but not enough. So we鈥檙e developing听a plan that will build on the work we鈥檝e听done, and will also assess our current听approach to ensure accountability going听forward. As I often cite in speeches, the听minority will become the majority in this听country in 2046, and if we don鈥檛 do a听good job educating all people, we will be听in trouble as a nation. There鈥檚 a greater听sense of urgency.
How do you define diversity?
It鈥檚 recognizing and valuing the variety听inherent in people鈥檚 backgrounds, experiences听and perspectives. There is strength听in that variety. It has made us strong as a听nation and as a university. Many think of听diversity in terms of race and ethnicity, but听it鈥檚 much broader than that.
Do you agree with the perception that听diversity leads to special treatment听for certain groups over others?
No. There is a mistaken impression that听diversity is about political correctness.听Wrong. It鈥檚 important that people feel听welcome and valued, so part of succeeding听at diversity means fostering an听environment where that happens. It also听means reflecting our wider society. We鈥檙e听preparing graduates to go out into an听increasingly complex, international and in听some cases polarized country and world.听We recognize that and have to prepare听students accordingly.
Will it lead to any change in academic听standards?
We鈥檙e not changing our high academic听standards.听
What is the timeline for your听new approach?
This is a marathon, not a sprint. We鈥檙e already听addressing the issue and have been听for some time. It can be difficult, challenging听work, but we are committed to success.听We are consulting many groups inside听and outside the university as we develop a听comprehensive plan. The work of implementing听that plan and being accountable听for progress will span years, not months. To听be successful, we have to be in this for the听long haul, and we are. It鈥檚 the right thing to听do, and it makes our university stronger.
Illustration by Melinda Josie听
听
Related Articles
Map of Life Charts Biodiversity
Inquiry: Aging Arteries with Rachel Gioscia-Ryan
Q&A with the President 鈥� Fall 2016
