Conversations on Race bring understanding

For junior Marshawn Wolley, it expanded his "perception of reality". \nFor junior Tobias Puehse, it challenged him to better understand issues of diversity, stirring his emotions and provoking introspection.\nFor its facilitators, Conversations on Race has proven a program of explosive possibilities, challenging students to interact with peers representing a myriad of cultural backgrounds in an informal discussion format.\nThe program, sponsored by Residential Programs and Services, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Committee on Multicultural Understanding, was introduced to IU last year. Its ultimate goal, according to Doug Bauder, director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services, lies in maintaining "heart-to-heart discussions" about personal experiences with race issues.\nThe discussion targets students of all ethnicities and backgrounds and is not limited to traditionally "minority" students. \n"Here you have students of color telling stories of so many negative experiences, and whites don't want the guilt," Bauder said. "But they need to understand the parts they play to better address this issue in society."\nLast year's program involved about 200 students. The time commitment is about two to five hours per week, according to the Office of Multicultural Affairs. \nConversations take place in a deliberately small group of about seven to 10 students, Bauder said. \nDean of Students Richard McKaig participated in the weekly meetings and said the close-knit format allowed him to explore issues from a variety of angles.\n"Conversations on Race lets you put your arms around that topic and that's how you can make a difference," McKaig told the IDS last spring. "We go through our life on campus with lots of brief encounters and superficial encounters. To have an opportunity to deal with a significant topic in a significant way -- it changes me, it changes you and it changes us all in the process."\nDuring the program, facilitators do not attempt to make students feel guilty; rather, they recognize the need for confronting issues of diversity on a day-to-day basis, especially on a campus as richly diverse as IU, according to the Office for Multicultural Affairs.\nThis year's program, meeting weekly from Oct. 1 to Nov. 4, will be held in all residence halls and cultural centers.\nInterested students should contact Bauder at dbauder@indiana.edu or log on to www.indiana.edu/~cor to register online. The deadline to register is today at noon.