The subject of diversity carries enormous weight around the globe. The word alone produces a sense of idealism. It permeates all subjects and all people. And when diversity is brought up, it floats there waiting for attention.
At Chico State, that attention comes from a variety of classes and programs designed to drum the values of difference into the minds of students.
William Loker, assistant dean of the School of Graduate, International and Interdisciplinary Studies, said learning diversity is preparation for life."Cultural competency is a basic understanding that students need to have in this country," said Loker, who is also an anthropology professor.
Teachers incorporate diversity into the classroom in different ways, Loker said.
"Given that we are in a relatively less diverse environment," Loker said, "we have to understand our student body. There is a portion of our students that come from predominately white areas. We really need to get to those kids."
Not all students come from the north state, Loker said. Students coming to Chico from diverse environments, like Los Angeles, where the range of differences are wider, benefit from diversity education as well.
"Just being in a multicultural context doesn't mean diversity is understood," he said. "Some of them stick to their group or don't have much understanding of others."
Carol Burr, director of the Center for Multicultural and Gender Studies, said the need for diversity awareness is high in Chico because it tends to be white-dominated.
"We don't seem to know what it's about," Burr said. "Because the numbers (of people who are different) aren't as high in Chico, we carry around attitudes that aren't appropriate."
The university needs to prepare students for diversity in the world, Burr said."Differences can be precious," she said. "They teach us how to expand in the world."
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