When attending a school event, one might expect to sit facing the speaker. On November 29, members of the Fairfield community found themselves facing each other.
They also faced a larger issue: diversity here at Fairfield.
The program, called “A Strategic Conversation on Diversity”, featured speeches from several staff members as well as a mixed panel of students and staff.
Chairs were arranged into “U” fashioned groups to encourage small group discussion between attendees during speech intermissions.
“It allowed for discussion and expression of thoughts,” said Phillip Pallone ‘15 regarding the seating arrangement.
For a majority of the presentation, a slideshow projection described the University’s definition of diversity: “Fairfield University defines diversity in the broadest sense, reflecting its commitment to human persons and service to all men and women.”
The statement was supplemented by the claim that diversity was not limited to race, ethnicity and religion; it included the diversity of “socioeconomic contexts, cultural perspectives, national origins, sexual orientation, physical ability, and educational backgrounds.”
Panelist and education professor Barbara Welles-Nystrom pointed out a shortcoming of this definition: “I am older, and age was not on there.”
In regard to this mission, Fr. Paul Fitzgerald S.J. described the Jesuits as “brokers of culture,” citing the historical overseas efforts of Jesuits such as Peter Claver and Ignatius of Loyola.
James Fitzpatrick, vice president for Student Services, shared a different kind of history. Fitzpatrick shared the story of the take-over of Xavier Hall by African American students as a response to unfair treatment, as well as instances in which students chanted the rhyme “Stags, not f*gs” toward homosexual students. After highlighting the unfortunate instances of ignorance toward diversity, he explained how far Fairfield has come in this mission.
The event was well-attended, with seating running out before the event even began. The general audience reaction was a positive one; however, almost the entirety of students in attendance got up to leave before the event was finished, cutting Fr. Jeffrey Von Arx’s closing speech short.
Also, not everyone felt the event was successful in its message and definition .
“I feel like diversity is about color and racial background, but I feel like it has to start with the person – the person willing to step outside of their comfort zone and basically embrace people from different backgrounds,” said Daniel Maloney ‘13. “From there, you’re going to diversify yourself as a full person.”
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