Reaching for diversity on campus
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Minority enrollment makes up 9.6 percent of total UI enrollment, and for the first time in the UI’s history, minorities surpassed non-minorities in the retention of first-year students by 1.9 percent for the 2007-08 academic year.
On the rise
UI Associate Provost for Diversity Marcella David said the number of students of minority backgrounds, international students, and students with disabilities have increased in the past couple of years.
But despite the rise, she said, it can still be hard for some minority students to make connections at first.
“We are trying to increase the programming in those [diversity centers] so that there are places students are comfortable going,” David said. “It is easy to feel a little lost when you are on a predominately white campus” with 30,000 students.
Students may turn to the many cultural houses and the UI Center for Diversity and Enrichment, which offer important programming for incoming students, she said.
UI student Quinnetta Claytor said she visits the center to study and seek advice from staff. The center made her transition to college easier, she said.
“Without the center, I think there would be a void,” the psychology and pre-med student said. “I came to campus, and there were events to go to and ways to meet other students. It was great.”
New student opportunities
Andy Freeman, the coordinator for outreach and campus planning at the Diversity Center, said facility members mostly target first-year students.
“There are more opportunities than they may know about,” he said. “I don’t want students to feel as though they’re the only person of color on campus. They can really get involved in a lot of different ways.”
The student lounge located in the center’s office in Phillips Hall is a place students can meet each other, hang out, and study, he said.
The Diversity Center puts on social and cultural programming, as well as performs outreach at Iowa high schools and junior high schools to show students what college and the UI can offer.
“If they aren’t finding what they want, they can take the lead and ask us to assist them in putting something together,” Freeman said.
Diversity on Campus
Some councils and committees available on diversity needs:
• UI Committee on Diversity
• Council on Disability Awareness
• Council on the Status of Women
• African American Council
• Council on the Status of Latinos
• Asian American Coalition
• Native American Council
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexaul, Transgender Staff & Faculty Association
• Disability Services
Find out more at: http://www.uiowa.edu/~eod/diversity/index.html
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