Spring Break
Symposium emphasizes diversity as a tradition
By: Jessica McCann
Issue date: 1/26/07 Section: News
 Daniel Bates - THE BATTALION Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity Tito Guerrero III answers a question about racial diversity as part of the panel of the 7th Annual A&M Diversity Symposium in Rudder Theater Thursday evening. |
In the aftermath of the Texas A&M racist video scandal and continued attacks on international students in the area, diversity is an issue that remains at the forefront of student and administrative agendas around campus, said Tito Guerrero III, vice president and associate provost for diversity.
Thursday night, about 245 people attended "Diversity: The New Tradition," the 7th Annual Diversity Symposium hosted by the Student Government Association Diversity Team, where panelists discussed the racial climate in the nation and on campus.
The panel consisted of Karamo Brown from MTV's "The Real World: Philadelphia," A&M Sociology Professor Joe Feagin, Paula McCann Harris, Class of 1987, and Guerrero.
"I'm going to be honest, I was kind of leery about coming to this campus after I heard about the blackface video, being an African American and gay," Brown said. "The Diversity Team really reached out to me to convince me to come here, and that's how it needs to happen - each student needs to speak out to make sure people off your campus know how you feel."
Harris, a petroleum engineering graduate, was often the only female, and even more frequently, the only black female in her classes in Zachry. She now recruits minority students to consider A&M as an academic option. As a student, she was a part of a change at the University that can still be seen today while driving in front of the Administration Building.
"When I got to A&M in 1982, they still flew the Confederate Flag in front of the Admin. Building," Harris said. "It took years, but we finally got them to stop flying it."
Racial diversity is not the only form of discrimination being combated at the University. Differences in sexual preferences, sexism, disability and socioeconomic issues are also areas of research.
"My research is interested in disability issues and gender issues," said Holly Hirsch, a graduate student in the Communication Department. "Race is not the only issue affected by diversity concerns."
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