Where’s the diversity?

“Fairfield University is a comprehensive Jesuit university that prepares students for lives of leadership and service in a constantly changing world.” So begins the mission statement of the school. The most accurate part of the statement is the acknowledgement of “a constantly changing world.”

According to the Bureau of the Census, in 2000 the American population was 70 percent Caucasian, 13 percent Latino, 12 percent African-American, 4 percent Asian and other and 1 percent Native American. Projections indicate that in 2050, Caucasians will make up only 53 percent of the population of this country.

During the 2002-2003 academic year, racial minorities constituted a mere 10.4 percent of Fairfield University’s student body. The number of African Americans, Asian and Latino students enrolled actually fell from 2001 to 2002. The Princeton Review’s decision to rank Fairfield University as 10th in Homogenous Student Population and 11th in Little Race/Class Interaction was not a shock to any student or faculty member.

The school puts on a good show; there is AHANA, SALSA, Kadima and a gay-straight alliance. Assorted community service types take sabbaticals to Bridgeport.

However, until the student body is as diverse as the campus organizations and clubs, service work in Bridgeport is not performed for selfish or guilty reasons, it remains a show. Sincerity may not be lacking, but as long as that which is not white, affluent, straight and Catholic is perceived as the “other” or worse, is met with well-meaning pity, there will never be a heterogeneous university community.

World and U.S. Diversity core requirements are a positive step, but at heart, an unnecessary one. It would not be necessary to force students to learn about other cultures, races, religions or ideologies if such differences could be explored in daily interaction among students and professors.

This is not the America or even the school of 1953; we can no longer afford ignorance. We are a comprehensive Jesuit university that must prepare ourselves for leadership and service in this constantly changing, heterogeneous, world.