In today's world of academia, it is no secret that racial diversity is valued in the classroom. Racial Diversity in the classroom improves interpersonal skills, improves classroom dialogue and participation, and immerses students to views and stories that are vastly different from their own. Because of this colleges have begun to put a large emphasis on marketing racial diversity to prospective students. In fact, a study done on 100 colleges showed that 78% of them ranked marketing racial diversity as their second highest priority, only after marketing academic rigor of the school.
This marketing is often done through the college's website, as well as brochures and pamphlets that are given to prospective students. Many of these feature students in “stereotypical college settings,” such as throwing around a Frisbee, studying with coffee, or walking through the student union.
However, a problem has arisen with colleges marketing racial diversity- many colleges will overrepresent the number of racially diverse students that their campus has. Such example can be seen in a 2014 study, which found that 81% of 100 surveyed schools over represented the number of African American students on campus.
Overrepresenting the number of students on color on campus can send inaccurate messages to prospective students and create a sense of shock among incoming minority students when they first arrive on campus.
I examined how accurately Concordia College marketed it’s racial diversity in my recent research project and paper. Despite it’s predominantly white campus, Concordia markets it’s 9% students of color fairly accurately in marketing and recruiting materials.
However, this does not discredit the many stories of discomfort and isolation that many students of color at Concordia express. Many of the marketing visuals that Concordia publishes feature a student of color surrounded by white students. While this sort of interaction is a possibility, it is often times not the type of interaction seen on campus, as white students tend to hang out together, likewise with students of color.
While there are many campus organizations that promote and encourage diversity, they are often only attended by a small group of students. Many of the students who need exposure/education on diversity the most are not the ones attending.
In addition to these to diagnoses, Concordia’s faculty and administration is heavily caucasian. Change often stems from the top on down, and the whiteness of Concordia’s leadership could certainly be a cause of isolation for students of color.
While the prior three paragraphs diagnose parts of the problem, a key part of the solution lies with white students on campus. While white students cannot fully understand what it is like to be a student of color on campus, they can recognize their own privilege, and use that to serve as an ally. White people can do this by:
- Holding other white people accountable for their actions
- Advocating for more racially diverse opportunities on campus
- Engage in open, honest, and vulnerable conversations with students of color, white students, and leadership to discuss how we as a campus can do better.
Although there is much work to be done for Concordia to become more racially diverse, there are opportunities each and every day to do better.
I love this topic, David! Nice job. I think that this is something so important to address. Did you come across any research on how colleges can work to improve other areas of diversity like gender & sexual oreintation diversity?
ReplyDeleteThis is an important area to continue drawing attention to! I am surprised that Concordia's portrayal of students of color is fairly accurate. Do you think Concordia is moving in a positive direction?
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