What is a drug? Right away, the word “drug” conjures up images of marijuana, cocaine, acid — some of the illicit drugs of our time. More than that, a drug is anything that physiologically affects the human mind. A drug changes your perception and alters your state of mind to one different than your most natural, purest state of cognition. Caffeine, alcohol and sometimes even chocolate can be considered drugs as well. But there is another drug, one that has distorted the priorities of the university administration to the point of absurdity. That drug is money.
Money has become the drug of choice for our beloved administration at the university. We, the students, have been clear in our stance that as a public university, we cannot be a profit-driven institution represented by a single Wall Street-esque view of promoting profitable agendas above honest education.
Yet, just as alcoholics do not want to hear about how their use hurts those around them, the administration, particularly the Office of the Provost, refuses to listen to us.
Last month, university President Dan Mote sent all of us, his “family,” a reassurance of his commitment to diversity, claiming, “While racial and ethnic diversity are clearly important, so are diversity issues around culture, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disability, age, socioeconomic status and others.”
This still does not address the core issue that remains unseen by the administration: It is not merely the existence but also the open exchange of dissenting views among people of any and every culture that must be encouraged. Everyone is looking at the same picture through different lenses.
So let me make this clear: The administration has been promoting diversity. Their definition, however, is flawed. There has been a search for cosmetic diversity among university officials, which has resulted in a multicolored façade on top of a decision-making team of naysayers. “Diversity,” according to students, is about a diversity of thought. The views of others with whom you may or may not agree should not only be heard but should be valued and discussed freely as well. The creation of a diverse community is not a counting game.
Lecturer Dorith Grant-Wisdom is one of the only government and politics instructors to specialize in developing world politics, particularly in Latin America. Cordell Black’s job as associate provost for equity and diversity will be cut to a part-time position. Black’s contributions to this community have been invaluable, as he has been a continual voice of dissent from within the administration. This explains why Provost Nariman Farvardin changed his reasoning for Black’s repositioning from a “budgetary” to a “personnel” decision, according to student leaders who met with the provost.
An intervention for the university’s addiction to profits is in order. For that reason, a new student group — Students Taking Action to Reclaim our Education — is fighting for Black’s reinstatement and a permanent decisive role for students to play in the university’s decision-making process. Increased inclusivity is the permanent change students, staff and faculty are fighting for. Essential liberty is fueling our fire, and as such, we will not fail.
Zach Brown is the president of NORML Terps and an organizer for STARE. He can be reached at zattackbrown at gmail dot com.
