The Cavalier Daily sported an entire newspaper page today of “Students and administrators reflect[ing] on the Office of Diversity and Equity’s efforts to create a more welcoming, inclusive University community.”
It’s a pretty weak reflection; nothing much shows up. The Office was created in 2003 as part of the University’s frenetic, self-flagellating response to what today’s article carefully calls the alleged racially motivated assault on Daisy Lundy, then a candidate for student body president. She was elected after her opponent withdrew from the race. (In addition, see discussion of this “alleged” assault here, here, here, here, here, here, here, for starters.)
So, what is the Office of Diversity and Equity’s mission, and what has it accomplished? ““The Office provides “consultation, coordination, and assistance to various organizations and University constituents,” explained Marcus Martin, Interim Vice President of the Office for Diversity and Equity who has replaced, at least temporarily, the first Diversity Vice President, William Harvey, who resigned last summer.
Lest those goals seem too narrow, Martin continued:
How the Office’s policies are intended to affect the different aspects of diversity can be seen in some of the office’s broader goals, including “promoting an inclusive, welcoming, respectful environment, and embracing diversity and equity as core values tied to the University’s priorities,” as well as “encouraging commitment to academic diversity,” Martin said.
To accomplish these broad goals, the Office has five committees that each have a unique focus to promote different aspects of diversity. One of those committees, Martin said, is the Diversity Council, which was created “to provide a forum where representatives from the community could come together to discuss strategies to make the community more welcoming.”
O.K., what about specifics?
Martin cited the many community events sponsored by his office, collaborations with student groups, various community outreach efforts and his office’s input in developing “a global curriculum” at the University.
Black Student Alliance President Lauren Boswell agreed that the University has successfully promoted diversity on Grounds, noting that the Office of Diversity and Equity has been one of her group’s biggest supporters.
Indian Student Association President Mitika Garg said the University “does a great job of empowering us to address diversity issues.”
The administration, however, strongly emphasizes student self-governance, and as a result “there’s only so much the administration can do,” Garg said.
Asian Student Union President Jigar Patel said although the Office of Diversity and Equity is very helpful, his group mostly interacts with the Dean of Students.
Overall, Patel said that from his perspective, “the University is doing its part.” He said, though, there is still room for improvement.
“For us to grow as an institution we’re going to have to focus more of our efforts on diversity,” Patel said.
Seth Kaye, president of Queer and Allied Activism, added that the University could potentially do a better job of preventing problems, instead of just solving them as they arise. For example, he noted that his group was frustrated with the University police for not immediately sending out an e-mail after two gay students had been the victims of a hate crime last April.
“They were helpful after we went to them,” Kaye said.
Although he acknowledges that there exists room to improve, Martin said the University’s creation of his position almost four years ago shows that it has taken a much more proactive role to foster diversity than in the past. He hopes its actions will make the University a much more inclusive and open institution.
Despite all the space given to this reflecting, there doesn’t seem to be much here besides a lot of people agreeing about the desirability of “diversity” and “inclusiveness” and a “welcoming environment,” etc., and there’s still more to be done, especially in a “proactive” manner.
All this singing of the praises of “diversity,” etc., however, doesn’t come cheap. Over two years ago, as discussed here, the salary of William Harvey, the University’s first Vice President for Diversity and Equity, was $315,000, making him one of the University’s highest paid officers. Ms. Daisy Lundy, who became Daisy Lundy Lovelace, also did quite well as a result of the “alleged” assault on her. As Mr. Harvey’s assistant, she held faculty rank with a salary of $54,500. Harvey’s gone, but Ms. Lundy Lovelace is still here, with a reported salary in 2009 of $56,700.
Who says “diversity” doesn’t pay?
ADDENDUM
As of 9:45 tonight (9/21), there is one Comment on this article, and it’s a doozy. “Person 23,” a member of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Class of 2008, writes:
UVa is a shining example of the complete failure of affirmative action. There is still a black part of campus, a black part of the cafeteria, a place in [T]uttle where all the asians hang out, and of course the frat area where all the white people (and non-white ppl who conform to white, southern culture) hang out.
The University needs to re-evaluate how it assesses diversity. Can we please acknowledge that just because a person is black doesn’t make them diverse, and just because someone is white doesn’t mean they lack diversity?
….
THE UNIVERSITY WILL NEVER BE DIVERSE so long as group think, tradition, conformity, elitism, and collectivism are the norm.
The University doesn’t need more black people, asian people, etc. It needs more individuals who are willing to keep their individualism is the face of group context and group think. At the same time, it needs less individuals who dress, act, and think in the same manner as the person next to them…..
