Students Hope to Increase Diversity, Want to Hold Administrators Accountable
By: Mallory Lane
Updated: February 6, 2013
PENN STATE, UNIVERSITY PARK - A group of Penn State students are worried there isn't enough diversity on campus, and they're hoping to do something about it.
Diversity has been a hot topic since the incident with the Chi Omega sorority photo that disparaged Hispanics.
The students invited President Rodney Erickson to an Open Diversity Forum Thursday. Their goal is to make administrators more aware of the seemingly big culture divide on campus, and hold them accountable to make changes.
You can learn a lot about a place just by looking. If you walk by the HUB on Penn State's main campus, it's crowded with people. But some students say it's not about what you see, instead, it's about what you don't.
"This campus is not diverse in any way, shape or form," Senior Ryan Brown said.
Brown says in his four years on campus, the color of his skin has largely defined his experience.
"I've walked into classrooms and been one of the only faces of color on multiple occasions," he said. "That's my Penn State experience."
We looked at University Park's Undergraduate enrollment numbers. In Fall 2012, a total of 35,371 students were enrolled in undergraduate courses. Of that number, 1,840 were Hispanic/Latino, 1,843 were Asian and 1,498 were African American. The total number of white students, 26,034.
Dr. Terrell Jones says while there is a big difference in the statistics, minority numbers are up.
"The number of students of color has consistently grown over the last ten years," Jones said. "So in fact, there are more students of color here at the university and more faculty and staff, so you get a broader range of people who are interacting in the process."
Kristen Hopf sees diversity on campus, but says interaction between students is lacking.
"I think there is definitely diversity on campus, I just really don't, I don't have many friends who are not like me, I guess," Hopf said.
And that's something Brown is hoping to change.
"There has to be a time where something changes and it needs to be now," he said.
Students want more diversity on campus, but don't know yet how to go about doing it. That's what they're hoping to find at the Open Diversity Forum Thursday. The forum begins at 7 p.m. in 112 Chambers.
Diversity has been a hot topic since the incident with the Chi Omega sorority photo that disparaged Hispanics.
The students invited President Rodney Erickson to an Open Diversity Forum Thursday. Their goal is to make administrators more aware of the seemingly big culture divide on campus, and hold them accountable to make changes.
You can learn a lot about a place just by looking. If you walk by the HUB on Penn State's main campus, it's crowded with people. But some students say it's not about what you see, instead, it's about what you don't.
"This campus is not diverse in any way, shape or form," Senior Ryan Brown said.
Brown says in his four years on campus, the color of his skin has largely defined his experience.
"I've walked into classrooms and been one of the only faces of color on multiple occasions," he said. "That's my Penn State experience."
We looked at University Park's Undergraduate enrollment numbers. In Fall 2012, a total of 35,371 students were enrolled in undergraduate courses. Of that number, 1,840 were Hispanic/Latino, 1,843 were Asian and 1,498 were African American. The total number of white students, 26,034.
Dr. Terrell Jones says while there is a big difference in the statistics, minority numbers are up.
"The number of students of color has consistently grown over the last ten years," Jones said. "So in fact, there are more students of color here at the university and more faculty and staff, so you get a broader range of people who are interacting in the process."
Kristen Hopf sees diversity on campus, but says interaction between students is lacking.
"I think there is definitely diversity on campus, I just really don't, I don't have many friends who are not like me, I guess," Hopf said.
And that's something Brown is hoping to change.
"There has to be a time where something changes and it needs to be now," he said.
Students want more diversity on campus, but don't know yet how to go about doing it. That's what they're hoping to find at the Open Diversity Forum Thursday. The forum begins at 7 p.m. in 112 Chambers.
Comments
Kristen Hopf has friends that are like her. Ryan Brown is interviewed at the Black Caucus center. I'd be interested in what campus clubs and organizations they are participating in. THON has always seemed to have support and participation from a large range of students.
Al D.
February 5, 2013 at 6:30 pm
