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OSU recognized for best practice efforts on diversity
As the only school in the United States with six cultural centers, OSU is awarded honors
Lauren Sigel
Issue date: 1/7/09 Section: News
When it comes to promoting diversity on campus, Oregon State ranks among the top schools in the nation.
OSU was recently awarded a national best practices award for college programs and accepted the "Committed to Diversity" award from Minority Access, Inc., a non-profit educational organization that, according to its website, "supports individuals, academic institutions, federal, state and local government agencies and various corporations to diversify campuses and work sites by improving the recruitment, retention and enhancement of minorities."
The award is given to institutions that show progressive movement in their efforts to promote diversity and that pave the way by setting examples for other institutions to follow.
Terryl Ross, director of OSU's Office of Community and Diversity, said he thinks that the way OSU approaches diversity is what is attracting the notice of other organizations.
"People generally have a very narrow definition of what diversity is," Ross said. "The way we approach diversity is that it includes everyone, not just minorities. We are here to eliminate the social barriers for some groups of people, but that is just a small part of what we do to promote diversity on campus."
OSU has established many diversity-driven initiatives and programs on campus.
"The Voices Project", a series of taped interviews of different OSU stakeholders on a variety of diversity-related topics, is intended to facilitate dialogues between diverse communities and serve as a community-building tool.
OSU is currently the only campus in the country with six cultural centers, is also one of the highest-rated gay-friendly campuses in the nation and all undergraduate students are required to take a "Difference, power and discrimination" course as part of their core credits.
"Diversity efforts are here at OSU for everyone to succeed," Ross said. "Students need to graduate with the ability to communicate with people who are different than they are, or else they will never succeed in their careers."
OSU was recently awarded a national best practices award for college programs and accepted the "Committed to Diversity" award from Minority Access, Inc., a non-profit educational organization that, according to its website, "supports individuals, academic institutions, federal, state and local government agencies and various corporations to diversify campuses and work sites by improving the recruitment, retention and enhancement of minorities."
The award is given to institutions that show progressive movement in their efforts to promote diversity and that pave the way by setting examples for other institutions to follow.
Terryl Ross, director of OSU's Office of Community and Diversity, said he thinks that the way OSU approaches diversity is what is attracting the notice of other organizations.
"People generally have a very narrow definition of what diversity is," Ross said. "The way we approach diversity is that it includes everyone, not just minorities. We are here to eliminate the social barriers for some groups of people, but that is just a small part of what we do to promote diversity on campus."
OSU has established many diversity-driven initiatives and programs on campus.
"The Voices Project", a series of taped interviews of different OSU stakeholders on a variety of diversity-related topics, is intended to facilitate dialogues between diverse communities and serve as a community-building tool.
OSU is currently the only campus in the country with six cultural centers, is also one of the highest-rated gay-friendly campuses in the nation and all undergraduate students are required to take a "Difference, power and discrimination" course as part of their core credits.
"Diversity efforts are here at OSU for everyone to succeed," Ross said. "Students need to graduate with the ability to communicate with people who are different than they are, or else they will never succeed in their careers."
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Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Steve Walter
posted 1/14/09 @ 6:26 PM PST
As an alum, I cannot tell you how important it is to learn tolerance and acceptance. I went to OSU in the mid 80's. I was in the fraternity system so surrounded by a pretty homogenous group of people (similar backgrounds, similar thoughts, similar ethnic and monetary backgrounds)--not good, not bad, just very homogenous. (Continued…)
Steve the Beav
posted 1/14/09 @ 6:39 PM PST
As an alum, I cannot tell you how important it is to learn tolerance and acceptance. I went to OSU in the mid 80's. I was in the fraternity system so surrounded by a pretty homogenous group of people (similar backgrounds, similar thoughts, similar ethnic and monetary backgrounds)--not good, not bad, just very homogenous. (Continued…)
Carmen Martin
posted 1/15/09 @ 9:33 AM PST
I am so proud of you OSU! What an honor for the school, the students and the state of Oregon!
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