ELSYE MENEGER | staff writer
NICOLE HERMAN | staff writer
On Thursday, March 19, the Multi-Ethnic Programs Office held the first-ever Presidential Forum on Diversity in UTCC as part of this year’s Unlearn Week. The forum included the president, faculty, staff and students to openly discuss God-honoring diversity on the APU campus.
“The primary goal of [the forum] was to keep this conversation fresh and to keep reminding people that as president, it is very important to me and, I believe, very important to this university to not lose sight of who God is calling us to be,” President Jon Wallace said.
The forum began with presentations from Chief of Staff Deana Porterfield, Associate Provost Kimberly Denu, Dean of Students Terry Franson and President Jon Wallace. Porterfield gave a presentation on what diversity actually is. APU’s positional statement on diversity claims that diversity is a biblical mandate, a response to Christ’s love, an ongoing work and a responsibility as disciples. Porterfield then showed slides and graphs of how diversity has grown on this campus.
After the Jan. 21 all-staff diversity training day, a five-year comprehensive diversity plan was created for all employees. This will be put into effect fall 2009.
Denu spoke on faculty developments. In Zulu, sawubona means “I see you.” This is a word that embodies Denu’s goal for diversity on the APU campus.
“I hope that we can look each other in the eyes and say ‘sawubona,’ no matter what race, gender or religious background the other person is,” Denu said.
Denu said she witnessed a positive change in the diversity of the faculty in the 12 years she has been at APU. When she began working here, she was one of only two African-American female faculty members. Now there are 78 faculty members of color, which equates to 25 percent of the faculty.
“If you are not thrilled with that, I’ll be happy myself,” Denu said.
Since the faculty diversity training day, a report from the Office of Diversity has been released. The office is hoping for a stronger representation of diversity in the curriculum and more opportunities for integration. The newly required faculty diversity orientation will help with these goals.
Franson spoke of the new student life developments that will start with the incoming class of 2013, who will go through stronger diversity training in Beginnings. Student leaders on campus will also go through diversity training.
The event then included a student panel intended to promote discussion,. The panel, made up of 15 students, asked questions of Wallace, Franson, Denu and Porterfield regarding diversity and how the university plans to create awareness. Questions introduced topics like stereotypes, restorative justice and consequences for racist actions.
Senior math major Jeanie Cho shared her experience of a student’s racial comment about her Korean-American identity. Another student panelist, senior communication studies major DeCruz Pulikottil, experienced racist incidents—some from professors—this semester and wanted to know the balance between showing grace and providing consequences for racist jokes, comments or actions.
“We need consequences for racist actions on this campus. That’s the bottom line,” senior psychology major and Black Student Awareness (BSA) president Brittany Barron said.
President Wallace and Terry Franson assured the students that actions will be taken against those who commit acts of racism. If enlightened to the problem, there are many staff members in power who can do something about it.
“My concern is, are there faculty members who are as concerned about this as Jon Wallace and Terry Franson are?” Pulikottil said.
The student panel portion ended with questions the audience members wrote on index cards read by director of Cultural Immersion Programs and advisor for ethnic studies minor Kneeland Brown.
Student panelists like Pulikottil and Barron stayed after the forum to continue dicussion with faculty and students.
