STEMing lack of diversity

What makes IU special? Maybe it’s the strong academic record and national recognition of programs such as the Kelley School of Business, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the Jacobs School of Music, to name a few. How about the big red clocks as a measure of IU’s worth? OK, nix that last one. \nIn all seriousness, there are a multitude of programs and initiatives that make this university such a desirable place. Among them, of course, is diversity. \nThanks to President Adam Herbert’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Initiative, the case for IU’s record of striving for diversity measures just became stronger.\nUnder the plan, selected students matriculating from historically black colleges and universities, such as Oklahoma’s Langston University and Alabama A&M University, will have the chance to pursue graduate studies at IU in a specific discipline encompassed by the initiative’s tenants, with free tuition, room and board and a $4,000 stipend. In the program’s infancy, nine such universities will participate, giving talented minorities fellowships and, better yet, incentive to contribute to the increasingly diverse climate at IU. \nWe applaud President Herbert and his commitment to distinguishing this university as a sought-after institution of higher education, as well as further fostering a climate in which students, faculty, staff and the larger communities surrounding IU’s campuses strive to be inclusive, accepting and open to all people and ideas.\nSkeptics of the plan, of which we hope there are not too many, may point to the program as an unnecessary attempt at reciprocity, especially toward historically underrepresented groups. Not only do we disagree with this position, we wholeheartedly deny any assertion of the sort. Aside from being a necessary and outstanding idea, the STEM Initiative points IU in the right direction.\nUnfortunately, some believe such an initiative weakens the value of an IU degree – not because of who is attending (that would be bigoted), but rather because people would be paid to attend based on criteria other than merit. We find this claim preposterous.\nPresident Herbert may be in his final months as our leader, but we hope the legacy and benefits of this latest initiative live on for years to come.\nDissent: Initiative will lessen value of IU Degrees\nSo, it has happened again. In IU’s perpetual quest to show it is a university of the people, we are going to be partnering with historically black colleges in a kind of fellowship exchange.\nI think it is great IU wants to diversify its student body and provide graduate fellowships in the sciences. \nHowever, in a repeat of its mistake in the “3+1” program, IU is going to allow students from universities that are ranked lower than IUB on U.S. News and World Report’s list of top national universities to dillute the quality of our degrees. Does anyone actually believe IU is really getting anything out of places like Morehouse College and Jackson State University?\nThe bottom line is that Adam Herbert’s last hurrah is a threat to IU’s superiority and should not be implemented.\n–Edward Delp