Trustee gives diversity talk

As IU celebrates Women's History Month and the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board, IU trustee Cora Breckenridge spearheaded a lecture Monday focusing on the challenges facing women and minorities. Breckenridge delivered the biannual Neal-Marshall public policy lecture as part of a series sponsored by the School of Public Affairs and Environmental Sciences and the Neal-Marshall Alumni Association.\nBreckenridge, the first black member of the IU board of trustees, spoke before an audience of SPEA members interested students and University brass including Frederick F. Eichhorn, Jr., president of the trustees. Breckenridge spoke of the challenges facing women and minorities in the workplace and in the education system. \n"In higher education," Breckenridge said, "We have gone from Brown v. Board in 1954 to California v. Bakke in 1978 to Grutter v. Bollinger in 2003, and need I tell you the struggle continues?"\nThe centerpiece of those landmark Supreme Court cases was Brown v. Board -- the 1954 case that famously integrated public schools. \nAfter Breckenridge's lecture, the presentation broke into an informal discussion session moderated by Vice President for Institutional Development and Student Affairs Charlie Nelms. \n"Beyond all, (Breckenridge) is willing to challenge the status quo," Nelms said, "and because of that, Indiana is a better place."\nOther panelists included secretary of the IU Black Student Union Crystal Brown. \nBrown said the University still has work to do in the area of integration.\n"As a student, I find this a very segregated campus," Brown said. "We're here, but there is no intermingling between races. I think we need to be more active to step out of our comfort zone to meet new people."\nBrown said Breckenridge is an important role model for all minorities and women. \n"One of the reasons I'm so delighted to be here is because you're such an idol of mine," Brown said to Breckenridge. "You give people like us hope that we can make it."\n-- Contact staff writer Rick Newkirk at renewkir@indiana.edu.