On a walk around campus, it isn’t difficult to see that a large percentage of the population at Virginia Tech is something other than white. In fact, it is a safe assumption that Tech’s campus is extremely diverse. However, diversity isn’t always something that is widely celebrated, or even tolerated.
On my way to class earlier this week, I passed by a pair of white males and a pair of two other students who weren’t of Anglican descent. I must say I was less than pleased when I heard the first pair mimicking the language of the latter. I began wondering at what point in our lives we were taught that this demonization of one another was acceptable.
After researching, I found that this discrimination against diversity isn’t an all that uncommon problem on Tech’s campus. In fact, diversity itself became such an issue that a few years ago a study was run called the Undergraduate Student Assessment of Campus Climate.
The survey identified 15 different categories, ranging from the general Tech climate to general diversity at Tech to proactive diversity behavior. The conclusions based on the undergraduate study show a huge variance in opinions on the issue of diversity on campus.
Undergraduate males, particularly white American males, for the most part view Tech as a diverse campus. They believe this institution to be a place comfortable for and supportive of people of different ethnicities. Quite dissimilarly, female undergraduate students, particularly African-American women, viewed the campus as a less inviting environment.
They also argued that Tech was not specifically supportive of anyone who was not white, male, heterosexual, Christian and without disability. They also saw the school as being not conducive to interracial interaction.
Another interesting statistic from the study relates to diversity-related conduct.
According to the study, females at Tech are more likely to participate in diversity-related programs, refrain from making comments against a specific group and to challenge others about derogatory remarks. Women were also found to be more likely than men to believe diversity among Tech students is a good thing. They also were less likely to stress over the potential of admitting under-qualified students through affirmative action programs.
Minority students showed a significantly different opinion. Minority students were found to be more likely to see Tech as a less receptive climate, as opposed to white Americans who were surveyed who agreed that diversity is actively promoted. Minority students also consistently expressed less positive attitudes in terms of experiences with faculty.
Throughout the study, racial differences were of the greatest magnitude and most consistent between white American and African-American students. According to statistics provided by the study’s results, available online through the Office of Multicultural Affairs, 59 percent of white Americans surveyed classified the campus as relatively non-racist.
Conversely, 42 percent of Asian students see Tech as non-racist and a mere 24 percent of African-American students agreed.
This disparity in perceptions of race relations in the classroom was also considerable. Further, the study found that African-American students were not convinced that Tech is committed to the achievement of students of different racial or ethnic backgrounds. Thirty-six percent of African-American students were found to agree with this idea, while an overwhelming 84 percent of white Americans agreed.
In general, the study found that no matter the classification, those in the majority group always perceive a more positive environment than those in the minority. What is to be offered as a solution then if the majority of people do not see a problem?
The fact is there is a problem. The statistics prove there is a problem. This problem is one that must be addressed.
Closed-minded people exist in every aspect of life. However, it is difficult to comprehend how students, the people who are supposed to guide this nation into the next decade, can be so ignorant to what is right before their eyes. The United States is quickly becoming less of a white America and more of a melting pot for people of all sorts of backgrounds.
Whether you were raised to see color, hear accents or protest a different kind of prayer than the one you pray is something that simply cannot be controlled. Each and every one of us is, however, at an advantage here at Tech. We have the opportunity to be exposed to all sorts of different cultures, languages and religions. Instead of writing these off because we were brought up to believe we were better, I challenge you to learn a lesson from every aspect of diversity on this campus.
Students must come to the realization that they are now adults. The lessons that our parents and teachers may have taught us in the past were merely a stepping-stone to the lessons we must learn for ourselves. Pride yourself on the fact that you have the chance to learn about how someone else lives. And the next time you pass someone who doesn’t look or talk the same as you, introduce yourself. You may learn a lesson you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
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