Diversity Summit Searches For Solutions

Dr. Guy Sims, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs leaned over to look at the answer one group had written as its definition for diversity. He stifled a laugh before saying “Diversity is hard.” The room chuckled as he moved on to the next table’s statement.

This set the tone for the 11th Annual Diversity Summit that took place Friday in the Commonwealth Ballroom of Squires Student Center. The Commission on Equal Opportunity and Diversity and The Office of Multicultural Affairs sponsored the round table discussion, with ten people at a table. Dr. Sims prompted the discussion with questions and sentiments for the small groups to dwell on.

The groups started by responding to peoples’ thoughts on diversity here at Virginia Tech. With those thoughts printed on slips of paper, each person at the table had a chance to discuss and relate to someone else’s feelings without seeing the person standing before them.

Other discussion questions followed, including “How do we as individuals know that diversity is important to our campus?” Every table brimmed with answers.

The attendees varied in every way, from age to gender, from ethnicity to religion, but everyone seemed to agree that diversity was part of the life of this campus, and it needed to be encouraged in order to grow and flourish. They also believed that diversity was more than meets the eyes. “Real diversity goes beyond statistical, numerical diversity,” said Melissa Lind, a counselor at the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech.

When questioned about how she felt about the summit, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Zenobia Hikes responded, “(I) think that the Summit is vital to the life of the university as we continue to have dialogues across difference, and though these conversations are sometimes difficult, they will help move us forward toward respecting the identity of all people.”

The final prompted thinking exercise urged that the attendees shut their eyes and imagine a perfect campus; this campus, as that perfect campus. Organizers asked what they saw in particular that stuck out in their minds. Responses ranged from wanting to see more variety among the genders and ethnicities of the presidents of Virginia Tech, and wishing that they could walk across campus holding anyone’s hand, no matter their gender, and not be judged.

While each saw a different major point in creating a perfect campus, all looked at the same thing. A diversified and non-judgmental scene lay out before them, but they will fight to make it a reality.