By Nadine Yaver
In response to the letter to the editor “Student centers getting a little too cultured” last week, I have to respectfully disagree with the assessment cultural groups and institutions serve to divide rather than promote diversity. But I have to thank [the author] for bringing up the most celebrated (besides co-op), yet much ignored, topic at Northeastern — diversity.
In defense of these centers, I would like to point out they serve as more than a physical home for students. Rather, they are a reminder to all of us a small minority of students should be able to feel comfortable and be acknowledged at this institution. Students of all races and ethnicities have rallied together to build these centers because they are the primary advocates for underrepresented students. Centers such as Hillel, the Latino/a Student Cultural Center, the African-American Institute, and now the new Asian-American Center should be defended because of the importance in having a voice. These structures symbolize the gains underrepresented students have made at Northeastern.
On the surface it may seem the lack of collaboration and exchange between students results from having separate cultural centers or separate cultural groups. But the issue of diversity goes deeper than just the centers: It lies in the environment and every day practices that take place at NU.
I often hear students came to NU because they believe it is diverse. If diversity is based on numbers, it could be argued both ways. I personally think the number of underrepresented students and staff is nothing to brag about. The administration believes achieving diversity is through numbers and tries to sell NU by exaggerating diversity using African-American or Asian students as front page covers for brochures. The attitude is such that if we can beat our comparative schools (which are mediocre in terms of diversity) than we have achieved sufficient diversity.
But I don’t think numbers should be the driving force in our understanding of what it means to be diverse. Diversity means interaction, acceptance and the exchange of ideas. It also means understanding other cultures and lifestyles, but more importantly, the willingness to learn about them. The real cause of the disunity in this institution lies in the culture of NU. Diversity should not just be reserved for location, organization or a cultural study, but rather should permeate every aspect of university life. Diversity should not be solely reduced to numbers, a specific time period or a graduation requirement. Before we begin finger-pointing cultural centers as the cause of our disunity, we need to define what diversity means to us at NU. This conversation needs to happen on all levels if we are to achieve the inclusiveness and collaboration referred to in our diversity mission statement.
I’d like to thank the author for bringing up the issue. In general, students and the administration can speak on diversity when it is used as an adjective or advertising scheme, but rarely when it becomes a topic of discussion. When it becomes a serious discussion point, it is often dismissed as a minority group bellyaching over what they don’t have. The discussion cannot just be initiated by underrepresented students or institutions representing them: Diversity is not just a minority issue. The future of this university relies on all of us taking ownership over diversity no matter what race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity we choose to claim.
– Nadine Yaver is a junior criminal justice major and the president of the Latin American Student Organization.
