Students organize to promote diversity
A Task Force is set to spread awareness about diversity throughout the campus by involving the Faculty Senate and various organizations in their cause.
By Jjoi Harris
Staff Reporter

Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech focused on the importance of unity between all races, creed and colors. Almost 40 years later, the first student-centered group on campus is ready to further that dream by fostering more interaction between different students.

Members of the Inclusiveness Task Force formed last year said they are ready to make their mission of promoting inclusiveness through student organizations a reality. Their first informational meeting is Monday.

Ebony Russo, a junior sociology major, said during the past year the task force has spent time defining its purpose and attending training sessions on how to convey and implement their message.

“If you want to be an organization that lasts and grows, you have to develop a solid base,” Russo said. “We had to have a firm foundation within ourselves before we could bring others in.”

Task force members said they have broken down into three smaller groups that will concentrate on different aspects to further their ambitions.

One group will focus on incentives for organizations willing to direct programming to a broader spectrum of students, said junior sociology major Maya Pouncy. A second group has begun working with the Faculty Senate to develop a class under the new core curriculum that will explore several aspects of diversity. The third group will hold inclusiveness workshops for those interested in joining the task force, she said.

In accordance with the university mission statement, the group’s advisor Cornell Thomas said the organization’s main goal is to prepare students to be successful members in the global community.

“The best way to accomplish that is to create a small version of (a global community) here,” said Thomas, special assistant to the chancellor for diversity and community. “We want to create an atmosphere where differences aren’t seen as less than, but are valued.”

The idea for the task force came from a conference at TCU last year.

In September 2001, students from Dallas/Fort Worth area universities attended a conference on inclusiveness at the Dee J. Kelly Alumni and Visitors Center.

Thomas said during the conference students were given the opportunity to develop action plans to help student organizations on their campuses in becoming more inclusive in their programming. The task force, formed from TCU students who attended the conference, was then formed to carry out those plans, Thomas said.

Kellen Correia, a junior sociology major, said getting people to step outside of their comfort zones will be the task force’s biggest obstacle.

“The easiest way to break through barriers is through communication,” Correia said. “It takes two people, one to lead and another to listen.”

The informational meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday in Room 222 in the Student Center.

Joi Harris