Students and faculty of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds met yesterday to discuss attitudes toward race at the University. The meeting, titled “Conversations Amongst Communities,” was sponsored by La Alianza Coalition of Hispanic/Latino Leaders, the Minority Rights Advocacy Coalition and Multicultural Student Services in the Office of the Dean of Students.
The events’ leaders said the meeting was designed to allow University students, faculty members and administrators to come together and learn from others’ beliefs and ideas.
Phoebe Haupt, Multicultural Student Services program coordinator, stressed the importance of open dialogue.
“Dialogue has a lot of power, talking is what will break stereotypes down, you have to get to know people,” Haupt said.
Participants separated into small groups to address issues such as affirmative action and how minorities are treated at universities. Dean of Students Allen Groves sat in one of the groups, and he commented that he thought that the University had undergone many changes since he attended the Law School here, including an incredible growth in diversity in both the student and faculty populations.
Third-year College student Whitney Hinnant said the University is becoming incredibly diverse, but she noted it is not necessarily completely integrated yet. She said community members should question their willingness — or lack thereof — to interact with people in different cultural groups.
Iberedem Ekure, a third-year Engineering student from Nigeria, said he experienced this lack of complete integration first-hand.
“When I first got to U.Va. [and America] I made mostly white friends, but now most of the people I know well are black,” Ekure said. “Sometimes I wish I had a more balanced set of friends.”
The conversation turned quickly to affirmative action, revealing students’ differing opinions about the race box on college application forms.
Third-year College student Ryan Hill expressed support for the idea of affirmative action but said she did not like the thought that it could be applied to her as a black student.
“I battle with the idea of it [affirmative action]; I don’t really want it to affect me,” Hill said. “If I’m not qualified for something, then I’m not qualified for something.”
But Hinnant, Hill’s friend and roommate, disagreed.
“I always check that box, even if I’m overqualified,” Hinnant said. “Affirmative action gives underprivileged [students] the opportunity to succeed.”
At the end of the meeting, La Alianza President Amanda Perez said she was happy that so many people had decided to come. In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, La Alianza is sponsoring events throughout October.
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