The season of minority discontent
April 26, 2006
A group of UW students briefly took center stage at Provost Phyllis Wise's town hall meeting last Thursday to protest the lack of minority voices on campus.
Students' discontent stemmed from knowing their opinions weren't sought when it came to choosing an interim vice president for minority affairs. Nancy "Rusty" Barcelo, who currently holds the position, announced last month she would be leaving the UW for the University of Minnesota in May.
According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Wise told students their opinions had been sought when it came to choosing Barcelo's temporary replacement. Apparently the administration didn't try very hard, or students weren't heard then either.
How much more yelling has to be done before something is accomplished?
For all of Wise's efforts to solicit student opinion and increase minority student involvement, a group has to feel pretty ignored before it storms the stage at a public meeting.
Enrollment statistics show that of this year's freshman class, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders make up less than 10 percent of the campus population, the P.I. reported.
Sure, that's something, but it's nowhere near where it could -- or should -- be.
Until the minority students already at the UW feel they have a real place here, how can we expect to attract others? The administration should stop paying so much attention to statistics and start listening to what those who are students today have to say.s
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