Discussions on diversity fall short

Author: Austen Levihn-Coon

While efforts have been made recently by the College to promote diversity initiatives, including the establishment of the Office of Institutional Diversity and Planning, there is still a sense among community members that Middlebury is homogenous and that discussion of difference is ignored rather than promoted. Of particular concern is that the conception of diversity as solely racial or ethnic needs to be reworked to include socioeconomic difference, and that the classroom is central to promoting dialogue.

"I think that class is a huge issue on this campus that is heavily silenced in a very unhealthy way," said Vice President for Institutional Planning and Diversity Shirley Ramirez. "I don't think there's a space for students to talk about their financial privilege or deficits for that matter."

After attending a "Real World Middlebury" workshop organized by Associate Dean of the College Karen Guttentag and intended to foster exactly that sort of frank discourse, Ramirez was surprised to discover the source of students' reticence.

"What was interesting to me was that the barrier to the dialogue was that students feel the need to put on a façade, to fake it," she said. "I was expecting more responses like 'you have to be politically correct,' or 'I don't want to be labeled a racist,' but they were more about what it means to be part of this community and what it means to be comfortable here."

Bonnie Hemphill '08 said that students often steer clear of discussing privilege and wealth in order to avoid making their peers feel uncomfortable.

"In the face of the College's plush landscaping, 'free' medical care and cushy athletics, it's easy to smooth over any contentious economic issues," said Hemphill. "It just 'wouldn't be nice' to talk much about how some students are loaded trust-fund babies, but many are riding on the hopes and savings of 14 extended family members, or even their own check-out line earnings."

However, the promotion of discussion surrounding diversity is much more complex than income disparity and racial and ethnic difference.

"I think that there is a definite lack of diversity here on this campus, and I don't think everyone agrees with me on that," said Aki Ito '09. "But I don't think that lack of diversity is just about race or socioeconomic class or sexual orientation. I think this campus can be hostile toward religion, women and Republicans, too."

Ramirez agreed that the College community needs to redefine how it defines diversity.

"I think [in] higher education," said Ramirez "[that] ... diversity has been concentrated in the frontloading, so admissions [is] counting heads of underrepresented faculty and staff and not thinking about the way we can approach ... diversity, community engagement and inclusion, all of these things, in a multi-faceted way. We need to start thinking about socioeconomic diversity as a part of ... what we value in this community."

Ramirez was adamant that in order for these conversations to take place there has to be an institutional commitment to supporting faculty in making these discussions happen in the classroom and providing the tools to help faculty develop professionally to feel comfortable facilitating difficult discussions. She pointed to an upcoming optional summer workshop, which will be held on June 10, as a step in the right direction.

"Hopefully the training will help faculty who do not feel particularly comfortable engaging in issues of equity and identity in the classroom," explained Ramirez. "I completely believe that a liberal-arts college should be a place where ideas and beliefs about identity, broadly speaking identity, can be challenged and not just for students."

While racial and ethnic diversity has come to the forefront of conversation. The dialogue is still not sufficiently supportive of students of color explained Shanta' Lindo '10.

"The classroom is definitely not one of the places where race can be discussed in a safe manner," said Lindo. "Many professors shy away from the topic of race because they know it will prompt a heated debate that might get out of control. Nevertheless, I have encountered a select group of professors who are more than willing to engage the topic of race."

Currently, one group of students is working to find their voice within the classroom through the establishment of an Africana Studies major that would focus on the African Diaspora, something that is not currently included in the curriculum. They do not see this as an ultimate solution to the problem of the academic exclusion of marginal groups in academia at Middlebury College, but as a necessary first step that will also bring to light other populations that have historically been excluded such as Native Americans and Hispanics.

Still, in order for the College to successfully achieve the mission of facilitating difficult discussions surrounding identity and difference, it will be necessary to have both an institutional and student push in combination with access to the right training for faculty and a safe and supportive environment for students.

Kyle Hunter '11 summed up the necessity of this multifaceted approach.

"Perhaps most importantly there needs to be a sentiment among the student body that these issues matter in a very real way," said Hunter, "which cannot and will not happen on a large scale until our professors, our mentors and our administrators convey that they feel the same way."