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People speak out on Diversity Plan
Last week’s forum pro
vided all of us with the op
portunity to see and hear the
many sides of a complex is
sue: diversity on the CCC
campus. As an informal
“representative” of the Alter
native Programs, I’ve been
asked to provide written com
ments for our department.
As you know, our stu
dents, those attending the
TCAP, TLC.VOP, YPOP,
and AHSD programs, are
very much a part of campus
life at CCC. It would be hard
to find a more diverse group
in terms of age, social and
economic background and
ethnic origin. Nevertheless,
this group of students does not,
at present, enjoy representation in
ASG, nor are they provided op
portunities to participate in on-
campus clubs or sports. In short,
these students are being left out.
While this oversights not
intentional on the part of the cob
lege, it is one that ought to.be rec
tified in order to bring this diverse
group into the CCC community.
Within our at-risk population
are a number of students who
could make a significant contri
bution to the diversity of CCC
campus life through participation
in the activities offered to main
stream students.
We think that involving these
at-risk students could benefit
Definitions taken from
Oxford Universal Dictionary
(Oxford University Press, 1981)
Diversity: Variety
Diverse: Different kinds
Diversify: To introduce
variety into, to vary
Policy: The course or
general plan of action
adopted by a government
or party or person
Plan: A meathod or way of
proceeding thought out in
advance
WICHE definitions of
Diversity: A phenomenon of
varied perceptions based on
culture, religion, or gender
OCT. ‘93: Involvement
with WICHE begins
|
OCT.
|
NOV.
|
DEC.
NOV. ‘94: presented
rough draft to faculty
JUNE - OCT. ‘94:3
regional meetings of
consortium with
WICHE to come up
with a written plan
Diversity section written and compiled by
Tina Guinn, Editor-in-Chief
and Christi Snavely Opinion Editor
them and the college in at least
two important ways: 1. by
helping to make these students
“stakeholders” in the CCC
community, as many of us have
come to realize, “buy-in”, of
ten changes attitudes and be
haviors in a positive way.
by encouraging students to view
the college as a lifelong learn
ing resource which supports
their educational efforts and
continues to offer the opportu
nity for personal and profes
sional growth.
Thank you for the chance
to air these views. The forum
was a great start!
Eric Faucher,
Alternative Programs
Dear Editor:
The recent forum on diver
sity revealed the level of hos
tility toward gay men and les
bians at Clackamas Commu
nity College. If ever there were
a need for communicate and
understanding, as the “Diver
sity Plan” proposes, surely
now it is clear. How painful it
was to hear members of the
faculty and student govern
ment call homosexuals im
moral and perverse, an con
demn an educational policy be
cause of their personal beliefs.
They can express their reli
I feel Joe Uris did a great
job moderating the Diversity
Forum. Similarly, the one of
the best parts of die Forum
was the way President Keyser
and Academic Deans sat
through every single minute.
Nothing could have been more
appropriate. Their very pres
ence said — in the loudest, tru
est language there is, action --»
that listening to everyone’s
feelings and ideas on the Di
versity Plan was the most im
portant thing there was to do
that day.
Conversely, I feel those
members of the Administra
tion who walked out before the
end of the Forum did immea
surable harm to the ideals of
participation and tolerance
which this institution es
pouses. Words that are con
tradicted by actions are a cruel
hoax.
American colleges have
prided themselves on being a
free and open marketplace, ba
zaar some would say, of ideas.
This tradition is based on a
firm belief that good ideas will
inevitably crowd out poor
ideas when placed in an atmo
sphere of vigorous, critical
thinking. It is critical that all se
nior members of the faculty and
administration to attend ses
sions such as last Thursday’s
and do what it takes to be sure
they can participate fully in
them.
Fortunately, there seemed
to be few senior members of the
administration who didn’t fol
low the President’s lead, so the
session was successful.
No one can say they were
not heard on this issue. Now
the College can start moving
forward with finalizing the plan
and then starting all over again
with determining how to imple
ment it.
In my opinion, the Diver
sity Plan is so vague and gen
eral it could mean almost any
thing or nothing.
What matters then is how
it is implemented. This same
process of open, honest discus
sion and debate of a rough draft
should be followed in determin
ing the implementation of the
Plan.We have nothing to fear
from those who dissent from
this purpose or its particulars;
because they can be persuaded
to abide by any reasonable plan.
What we should fear are those
Diversity Plan Chronology
OCT.‘93 - MAY‘94:
WICHE involved in
personalized evaluation
of CCC campus
MARCH ‘95: 3rd draft (2nd
revision) established
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JAN,
|
FEB.
The Clackamas Print Page5
Wednesday,Oct. 121994
_________
| MARCH |
FEB. ‘95: 2nd draft (first
revision) established
APRIL
gious and personal beliefs; it
seems equally just that we
should be able to exercise our
basic rights. At least now we
know where some people
stand. Still others stand for
the dignity, morality and hu
manity of racial and sexual
minorities.
For the support and cour
age of those members of the
college community who be
lieve in providing a campus
climate tolerable to gays and
lesbians and bisexuals, we
thank you.
GALAB
zealots — on any side of this
or any other topic —. who
refuse to debate the issues.
Perhaps for the next phase
we should be more explicitin
laying out the process for the
implementation plan’s drafting
and adoption so those who
have Concerns will know
where and when to get in
volved.
It seems as though most of
the dissension was based on a
lack of knowledge or ex
pressed a concern about a lack
of opportunity to get involved.
I also feel we should try
to involve night-time and non-
traditional students in future
forums and policy debates.
Perhaps they will not want to
come, but they should be in
vited and given a meaningful
opportunity to participate.
Whatever the particulars
of the plan may be, I also feel
that we need to create and pro
tect not only ethnic and racial
diversity within CCC, but also
intellectual diversity such that
our students Will be fully pre
pared for the larger world they
Will be entering upon gradua
tion.
Dave DeMarkey
AUG.‘95: By end of 8th
week summer session, a
“rationale” will be written
and distributed to faculty
during inservice
JUNE ‘95: Deadline for input
|
MAYy
|
JUNE
|
JULY
JUNE ‘95: Final meeting on
the Diversity Plan
APRIL ‘95: First all-campus*
Forum held
|
AUG.
|
SEPT.
SEPT. ‘95: During Fall
inservice, staff will be
invited to participate in
planning procces for imple
mentation of The Plan
This page edited by Chad Patteson