What About Diversity

If you ever have any questions about diversity, Virginia Tech has a page of diversity resourses. I wanted to understand the basics so I went to this page of definitions.

The definition of diversity is: "the fact that our community, both locally and nationally, is comprised of many individuals, each having unique attributes based on a variety of social, physical, and cultural characteristics. Included among these attributes are race, class, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, political affiliation, and national origin."

And "The changing composition of our larger society demands that Virginia Tech prepare its students for life and leadership within an increasingly diverse society."

Equal Opportunity says "that each individual is judged on his or her individual merit. Each individual is given an equal chance for employment, enrollment, and advancement."

And finally, Affirmative Action "is a tool used to facilitate equal opportunity. Affirmative action requires overt action and special effort to correct the effects of past discrimination, to eliminate present discrimination, and to prevent discrimination in the future."

Using these definitions, I came up with the following questions.

1. If campus Diversity is required to prepare students for life and leadership in an increasingly diverse society, then are those who are educated at Historical Black Universities and Colleges being given less of an opportunity to succeed? Also, what about a college that caters mainly to black females, such as Spelman College? Are students being cheated by not being prepared for life in a diverse society?

2. How can Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action exist together? EO says everyone is given an equal chance. While AA says overt action and special effort to correct past discriminations? Is everyone give the same equal chance or not?

It seems the diversity monster is alive and well at VT.