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Jischke wants more diversity
By Russ Brickey
Staff
Writer
While Purdue University is making strides toward
campus diversity, there is still a lot of work to do.
This is according to President Martin Jischke,
who spoke to students Tuesday evening. "We can do better," Jischke said,
"and in the long run, we have to do better."
Diversity is a problem on campuses across the country.
Jischke cited a recent study that found 48 percent of children from
high-income families graduate from college by age 24, compared to only
7 percent of young adults from low-income families.
The study also found that only 5 percent of graduate
students in the sciences are black and only 4 percent are Hispanic.
Likewise, of the nearly 28,000 doctorates granted by American universities
last year, only a little more than 1,300 were granted to blacks.
These statistics do not reflect the demographics
of American culture and Purdue falls into this trend. "I believe our
goal should be to educate everyone," Jischke said, and this includes
minority students, who make up a larger percentage of the American population
than is represented at Purdue.
"I think what is needed is to move from discussion
and concern to a deeper commitment," Jischke said.
The majority of this commitment must come from
the student body. "We need our students to attract other students,"
Jischke said, "and more importantly, we need our students to retain
(minority) students."
Responding to a question from the audience, Jischke
said the two biggest factors in retention of students are academic performance
and the extent to which a student fits into the community. "That's the
question," Jischke said, "'Do I fit in here?'"
According to Jischke, diversity goes beyond the
task of creating a campus environment. Diversity is important to the
entire process of democracy. "If it is only men or only tall people
or only white people (that take part in society)," Jischke said, "we
as a democracy have failed."
However, Jischke said that Purdue has invested
a great deal in promoting diversity and creating an ethnically friendly
campus.
These efforts include the Black Cultural Center
— which Jischke praised as a "wonderful concrete statement to Purdue
University's commitment to diversity" — and the George Washington
Carver Grant, which is used to bring top-notch minority graduate students
to graduate school. "We have challenged other land-grant universities
to do the same," Jischke said.
Several students voiced concerns, however. "Everybody
stays in their comfort zones," said Jennifer Davis, a freshman in the
School of Consumer and Family Sciences. "Everybody stays with people
they look like. It just wasn't for me."
Davis, a native of Indiana, wanted to meet people
from other cultures and other parts of the country. "It seems like everybody
is scared to break out," Davis said. "It's just a matter of everybody
coming to their senses and not being afraid to break out."
Jischke said, "More people have to set this as
a priority, more people have to step forward. A surprisingly small effort
can open a lot of doors."
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743-1111 ext. 253
Campus editor:
Laura Pelner
Assistant campus
editors: Kurt Esposito,
Dave Stephens
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