For the second year in a row, the racial and gender makeup of students who applied for the University Judiciary Committee reflects the overall diversity of the University as a whole. The racial and gender makeup of UJC used to be dramatically different, with caucasians comprising 83 percent of the organization two years ago, UJC Chair Will Bane said.
According to statistics provided by the UJC, of those who passed the organization's recruitment exam given as part of the application process, 57 percent were female, 43 percent were male, 62 percent were caucasian, 11 percent were black, 3 percent were Hispanic, 15 percent were Asian-American, 0 percent were Native American and 9 percent were international students.
By comparison, the University's student body is 52 percent female, 48 percent male, 62 percent caucasian, 7 percent black, 4 percent Hispanic, 9 percent Asian-American, 0.2 percent Native American and 8 percent non-United States residents.
Bane said the UJC worked toward drawing its recruitment class by continuing to reach out to minority groups across Grounds.
According to the UJC Senior Educator Victoria Marchetti, UJC educators attended a variety meetings hosted by minority advocacy groups as well as the Source Activities Fair, which is put on by the Black Student Alliance. The Committee also has used traditional methods of contacting students, such as first-year dormitory talks.
This year, UJC introduced an online exam as opposed to the scheduled paper exams used in the past, allowing students to take the exam on their own time as opposed to taking it during a scheduled time and place. Emily Flavin, UJC's vice chair for first years, said this not only made it more convenient for students to take the test but it also relieved the pressure of taking it in a room full of students.
Bane also said the organization's ability to construct a diverse recruitment class last year created a "role model effect" that again invited a diverse class of recruits.\n"It has allowed UJC to become more welcoming," he said. "People see that we're not the old boys club that we're stereotyped as."
For the past two years, Bane said UJC's executive committee has made diversifying the committee a priority.
"We recognize that diversity goes beyond having certain percentages," he said. "It's important to have different viewpoints and life experiences. I'm confident that a more diverse support officer pool and committee will help us function in a way that's more representative way that's fairer"
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