Falling into Comfort Zones

It’s a fact that humans are naturally attracted to people who are similar and to experiences that fit into one’s comfort zone. So how do you change a community that clearly separates itself based on similarities? “You can try to integrate,” says Rev. Quentin Wallace, director of multi-ethnic student affairs, “but people just naturally fall into groups. I’ve noticed that international students tend to get together by language, not just race. Students from Senegal and the Ivory Coast speak French, so I saw them becoming friends with a student from France.”

Mindy Cohen ’04, WXAC station manager agrees, “You do see like with like most of time,” she says. “You rarely see foreign students walking with American students or African American students walking with white students. It’s a cultural thing…they don’t know how to relate.” Why? Cohen adds, “Some kids come here who grew up in very homogeneous communities.

They haven’t been exposed to diversity. They don’t know it’s okay to be different.”

Bonnie Poretskin ’07 sees segregation in the Caf all the time. “You walk in and see the tables broken up into race, sororities, fraternities, sports, interests like theatre and music…even preppy vs. punk. There are so many ways we can change that.”

The Diversity Club

Last year, Poretskin proposed a new student organization called The Diversity Club. Currently in the process of creating a constitution and mission statement, she says the club’s purpose is to bring together students with diverse backgrounds to talk about diversity issues, share concerns and overcome fears. “Fear is one of the problems I think,” says Poretskin. “Students in the club could then talk to other students. It would keep diversity at the forefront.”

Any student is welcome to join the club, says Poretskin, but there will also be one representative from each student organization on campus. “All my life I don’t like it when other people are picked on. I hate when others are discriminated against. I want to do anything I can to help people.” The club will open at the beginning of the fall 2005 semester.

Also a member of CSE, Poretskin says she’s encouraged by the collaboration of students, faculty, administrators and staff. “We’re an outlet…a place where people can ask questions without feeling shameful or stupid. If we keep on the ball I think this campus will be much more welcoming, accepting and understanding towards people with diverse backgrounds.”

Integrating Diversity into the Curriculum

As an institution of higher learning, the classroom must also play an integral role. Albright’s catalog lists courses such as: “Introduction to Special Education,” “African American Literature,” “Religious Traditions in Latin America,” “Women/Men: Debating the Differences,” “The Holocaust,” “Contemporary Culture in the Southern Cone,” “Human Behavior & Diversity Issues,” “Religions of India, China & Japan,” “Social Stratification & Structured Inequality,” and “Minority Families,” just to name a few.

“If one studies the curriculum,” says Chapdelaine, “many of the courses have multi-cultural or diversity content. Diversity is very interwoven into the curriculum. It’s a strong part of a liberal arts education.”

In the 2002 survey, Snyder summed up that slightly over 75 percent of faculty members believed they included diversity issues in their courses, but at the same time only 40 percent of the faculty believed that Albright’s curriculum adequately includes issues related to diversity. And, only 40 percent of the students believed that their courses address these issues adequately.

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