On The Edge News

By Anna Hansen 

Following last semester’s student protest and meetings, Edgewood College administrators say they are working toward getting student voices involved in the conversation surrounding diversity.  

But specific dates and events are not set, said Edgewood Diversity Officer Willie Larkin. He said administrators are “piloting things” such as workshops and roundtables on diversity and inclusion. 

In a related story, the college’s most recent campus climate survey reported a decline in minority student satisfaction compared to the last campus climate survey in 2016.  

The results of the current survey, which also reported disparities in the experiences of minority groups on campus, were not published campus-wide, but were obtained by OTE. 

In the survey, the percent of students of color who went hungry due to lack of funds while living on campus was nearly twice that of white students.  

Additionally, responses from students of all backgrounds showed a decline in feelings of acceptance and welcoming. 

A total of 58.5% of white students said they felt the college fostered “an environment that embraces diversity and inclusion.” For students of color, that number was 43.7%. 

However, the survey also reported rising numbers of students whose professors “made them excited about learning,” as well as an increase in extracurricular participation. 

Larkin attributed the delay in scheduling diversity events to the academic calendar.  

“We’re beginning the new semester, and so lots of things are being put on the schedule,” said Larkin.  

“The other thing that creates a little bit of a problem is that we have to try to match our introduction of different programs with the schedules that people have, and so if you have students, depending on what their class load is, they may not be available to come to a workshop or seminar or some other kinds of programming.”  

In a Feb. 4 email, Larkin insisted that students keep in mind that “equity, diversity and inclusion programs and projects will never stop being introduced and advanced at Edgewood College,” no matter who’s in charge. 

“The goal is to make sure that aspects of diversity are woven throughout every department and division of the campus,” he wrote. “That’s the only way we can grow and sustain ourselves as a progressive institution of higher education.”