The decline of diversity?

Is IU turning into just another white-dominated institution? A Sept. 15 Indiana Daily Student story concerning a lower amount of black student enrollment this year has people asking whether IU is becoming less diverse. We contend that it is much too early to make any hasty generalizations.\nAt its base, the fact that the black freshman population declined from 412 last year to 345 this year could be alarming. But it is necessary in these instances to step back and take a full view of the situation. Certain questions must be asked.\nIs this just a down year or something more? A more specific question to ponder is whether fewer black students are applying because of some institutional factor, such as a declining reputation for minority programs or an unwelcoming atmosphere for minority students. Or were fewer black students simply not admitted? If so, why?\nTwo things must be considered when issues such as these arise. First, statistics require precision and care. Becoming overtly alarmed by a one-time enrollment drop is probably an overreaction. As Dean of Students Richard McKaig pointed out in last Wednesday's IDS, a trend of several years must be examined. Secondly -- and perhaps more importantly -- one person's diversity can be another person's normalcy. Put differently: The concept of diversity is hard to define. Every person can have a slightly different measure of how "diverse" they believe this institution is. Is diversity based solely on pure numerical values? If so, many otherwise repressive governments are fostering diversity in their countries.\nDiversity, by some rudimentary definition, involves the acceptance of a wide range of ethnicities, religions, cultures and ideas. The question must be posed whether or not the campus climate of IU allows these to be put on the forefront of every student's agenda. Does IU make it possible to interact with and enjoy one another's diverse viewpoints and backgrounds? In large part, yes. The very nature of liberal higher education (not to be used in the political sense) puts students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community in the position to explore experiences normally outside of one's "comfort zone."\nThis is not to say, of course, that more should not be done to promote a diverse atmosphere at IU -- one of the perennial facts about diversity is that more can constantly be done to promote it. And, yet, something that doesn't get as much emphasis is this: The burden of cultivating a diverse campus lies just as much with the students as it does on the administration, perhaps more so. For as many programs as IU sponsors, little can be achieved if students make no effort to accept this diversity and incorporate it into our daily routines. We can whine and holler as much as we want about fewer black students being admitted by University officials, but it does no good as students to turn our backs on the opportunities that present themselves daily to broaden our horizons.