Spring Break
Students respond to claims of minority isolation
Jessica Leggin / Campus Editor
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: News
Minority groups on campus are sometimes accused of purposely separating themselves from the majority on campus.
Some students feel minority groups, such as the Black Student Union, the Asian-American Association and the Latin American Student Organization, serve a positive purpose for the campus community.
Kate Sullivan, a senior communications studies major, said she does not see a problem with minority organizations on campus.
"When it comes to some of the minority events on campus, I have a lot of friends who go to them," she said. "I think it is fun and another way to experience the culture."
Sullivan said people who have a problem with the organizations should experience some of the group's culture.
"If you think that it is a big issue then try to reach out to that group and get involved," she said.
TJ Rickey, a senior management information systems major, said he thinks minority groups are good for the entire campus community as a whole.
"I think any organization is a great idea and being with people who are similar to you in any way possible," he said.
Rickey said exposure to others with similar beliefs and sense of culture is important.
"It's going to help every person in that group no matter what the group stands for," he said.
Lashawn Harris, a senior biology major, said minority groups on campus can give students a sense of belonging.
"If you are a minority and there is no minority organization, then you are going to feel that you are on campus by yourself," she said. "So, it's actually good for a support system."
When it comes to the debate about minority organizations isolating themselves from the majority on campus, Harris said she thinks some groups have a tendency to do that.
"I think it is wrong because as a whole we are EIU whether we are black, white, Hispanic, Latino," she said. "I think minority organizations do help, but at the same time they should have a more purpose to unify us."
Harris said to diversify the campus community, more minority organizations should come together.
"Not just minority meaning Black Student Union, or minority meaning Asian-American, but just minorities period, where they have an event with all minorities present," she said.
Harris said overall she does feel Eastern is doing better when it comes to diversifying the campus.
"I am very happy with the progress, but if we keep trying to make ourselves available and embrace other cultures, then I think it will be better," she said.
Harris said students should also try experiencing other cultures.
"At a previous college, I was in All-Latin Alliance, and I am 100 percent, to my knowledge, African-American, but I learned their culture and they embraced me if I was Latin," she said.
Rickey said he also feels students should be aware of other cultures while they are on campus.
"This is important because students need to know what these groups stand for and to learn the cultures that Eastern shares," he says.
Rickey said in his hometown, he attended a college with only about 700 people.
"It was like 99.9 percent Caucasian," he said. "Coming out of there and coming to Eastern was not really a big change, but at the same time it was different. The earlier we can start seeing that not everyone is the same then the better off we can all be."
Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.
Some students feel minority groups, such as the Black Student Union, the Asian-American Association and the Latin American Student Organization, serve a positive purpose for the campus community.
Kate Sullivan, a senior communications studies major, said she does not see a problem with minority organizations on campus.
"When it comes to some of the minority events on campus, I have a lot of friends who go to them," she said. "I think it is fun and another way to experience the culture."
Sullivan said people who have a problem with the organizations should experience some of the group's culture.
"If you think that it is a big issue then try to reach out to that group and get involved," she said.
TJ Rickey, a senior management information systems major, said he thinks minority groups are good for the entire campus community as a whole.
"I think any organization is a great idea and being with people who are similar to you in any way possible," he said.
Rickey said exposure to others with similar beliefs and sense of culture is important.
"It's going to help every person in that group no matter what the group stands for," he said.
Lashawn Harris, a senior biology major, said minority groups on campus can give students a sense of belonging.
"If you are a minority and there is no minority organization, then you are going to feel that you are on campus by yourself," she said. "So, it's actually good for a support system."
When it comes to the debate about minority organizations isolating themselves from the majority on campus, Harris said she thinks some groups have a tendency to do that.
"I think it is wrong because as a whole we are EIU whether we are black, white, Hispanic, Latino," she said. "I think minority organizations do help, but at the same time they should have a more purpose to unify us."
Harris said to diversify the campus community, more minority organizations should come together.
"Not just minority meaning Black Student Union, or minority meaning Asian-American, but just minorities period, where they have an event with all minorities present," she said.
Harris said overall she does feel Eastern is doing better when it comes to diversifying the campus.
"I am very happy with the progress, but if we keep trying to make ourselves available and embrace other cultures, then I think it will be better," she said.
Harris said students should also try experiencing other cultures.
"At a previous college, I was in All-Latin Alliance, and I am 100 percent, to my knowledge, African-American, but I learned their culture and they embraced me if I was Latin," she said.
Rickey said he also feels students should be aware of other cultures while they are on campus.
"This is important because students need to know what these groups stand for and to learn the cultures that Eastern shares," he says.
Rickey said in his hometown, he attended a college with only about 700 people.
"It was like 99.9 percent Caucasian," he said. "Coming out of there and coming to Eastern was not really a big change, but at the same time it was different. The earlier we can start seeing that not everyone is the same then the better off we can all be."
Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
J
posted 4/24/09 @ 1:24 AM CST
So many contradictions, so little time.
It's uncomfortable listening to various minorities try to rationalize Diversity as being the interaction between multiple groups when they really just mean they want more people like themselves. (Continued…)
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