Convincing the masses can be an uphill battle, especially when the masses are cynical college students with a natural desire to hate “the man.” Nonetheless, in recent weeks, the administration has attempted to persuade the university community it truly cares about diversity. The day after student protesters descended on the Main Administration Building, Provost Nariman Farvardin published a guest column on this page affirming his commitment to diversity. Yesterday morning, students were greeted by an e-mail from university President Dan Mote expressing his goal to build “a great university with diversity woven into its fabric.”
Clichés and repetitiveness aside, the truth is the university is trying. Neither Farvardin nor Mote would have signed their names to these documents had they not seen a real problem. Farvardin removed the top administrative diversity post days after a diversity town hall and weeks after the revelation black enrollment had plummeted. Talk about bad timing. Administrators have been scrambling since to wash their hands of this mess.
They’ve shown some understanding of the problems at hand. But administrators must realize that no opinion column or early morning e-mail is going to change anyone’s mind. While these reactions are expected from any organization under siege from disenchanted students and faculty, they are minimal damage control when it comes to the bigger picture. Talk only gets you so far. Concrete steps must be taken if the administration wants to be taken seriously.
As we discussed yesterday, the administration — Farvardin in particular — is beginning to face serious trust issues. Administrators must realize every day they fail to engage the university community and those who are organizing the protests and mobilizing students, they fall deeper into a hole.
President Mote and university officials should begin serious engagement with students — sooner rather than later — to get to the root of the problem. It shouldn’t be held behind closed doors, like Farvardin’s meeting with a select group of student leaders the day of the protest, but for all to hear and see. Administrators would show courage and commitment by allowing the university community to actually listen in instead of keeping some out of the mix.
Also, administrators shouldn’t issue invitations to only student leaders. While Student Government Association officials and student group leaders do hold sway over many students, the issue of diversity isn’t about that. It is about everyday people from various backgrounds who make up the university community. Officials need to flesh out what is motivating them to take these actions. It should be apparent this issue extends far beyond the dismissal of Cordell Black — much larger problems have been brewing.
By pulling in everyday people to have a conversation with the leaders of the university administration, including Mote, officials would be sending a clear message that extends beyond mass e-mails and opinion pieces. Only through concrete actions will administrators be able to, as Mote wrote in his e-mail, assure that their commitments to diversity and inclusion are absolute and foundational.
