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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1995)
DIVERSITY The Clackamas Print Page 6 Wednesday, May 17,1995 The Plan has already increased diversity Editor’s Note: Two Issues ago, we printed an article which briefly discussed the Diversity Forum, held April 27, and printed, in full, the latest of “The Diversity Plan.” This week’s coverage Is focused on background leading up to the latest revision of“The Plan,” as well as personal responses by administration, faculty and students. Our goal is and always has been to provide a more in-depth look at the timeline of events from conception to pending Implementation of “The Diversity Plan.” The end of the school year is approaching and so is the June 2 deadline for suggestions on revi sions of the proposed “Diversity Plan (The Plan),” a plan that has sparked criticism and support campus-wide. In accordance with federal guidelines, the college currently has an Affirmative Action plan in place. “The Diversity Plan,” while not mandatory, parallels the Affirmative Action plan, and fo cuses its intentions on increasing the diversity of the campus (see comparison of plans). The Plan, which originated in November 1994, was devel oped by representatives from the President’s Council (administra tion, classifieds staff, deans, fac ulty and students) with assistance from Western Interstate Commis- sion for Higher Education tory by representatives of various groups on campus. “The suggestion for a code of conduct is more political correct ness puffery - grandiose self serv ing and also smelling, to high heaven. This posture of moral vigilantism — policing others without having solicited it — is repressive and conformist, and ironically works against the tol erance and sensitivity it seeks to promote,” said John Orrelle, psy chology instructor and Plan ad versary. “The plan promotes the very thing it purports to prevent — a homogenized and sanitized cam pus. There is genuine paradox here. Diversity and multiculturalism — the words -- have been so politicized as to be damn near meaningless.” Orrelle’s written response in XW i C he ). opposition of the original plan According to Joe Uris, soci was considered by some to be in ology instructor, WICHE is a non strumental in having revisions profit “umbrella organization” made to the first draft. "which sponsors research into “Had there been no resistance higher education, grant programs to the original draft, we would be for higher education and various stuck with an abysmally bad plan, projects, similar to The Plan. one that is repressive and coer CCC, in conjunction with cive in tone (codes of conduct, Chemeketa, Lane, Rogue and Mt hate free zones and so on) and Hood Community Colleges, make antithetical to the spirit that de up the consortium which, with. fines a college campus - uncen WICHE’s assistance, is striving to sored exchange of ideas free from provide workable “diversity vigilantism and administrative plans” that facilitate the indi correctives,” Orrelle said. To date, The Plan has under vidual needs of each campus. In the fall of 1993, some gone two revisions, the first of members of the Gender and Eth which drew negative responses nic Equity Committee formed a that were similar to the objections team to work with WICHE to made regarding the original draft. implement a diversity plan. While the second revision is sig WICHE provided a 12- nificantly different than the origi month “training session” to assist members of the core, planning team in determining what the necessary components would be for CCC’s in dividualized plan. Part of the evaluation in cluded three personal vis its to the campus to as certain the campus’s di versity needs. In October 1994, planning members from the five community col leges met in Corvallis with the WICHE staff and consultants from around the country to develop a workable plan for the respective nal plan and the first revision, opponents still object to many of schools. The original plan, which was the elements that supporters of presented to CCC faculty in No The Plan feel are imperative in vember, 1994, resembled the cur attaining its goals. rent plan. However it included . “I was not part of the origi policies, such as “a code of con nal group that designed the plan... duct and a hate-free zone” that but I did have a role in this most were considered to be inflamma- recent draft because there were some things in it that I, and oth not quite sure how to address that. ers, felt needed modification. The John Keyser had no clue that stu Plan (as it is now) is very mild. dents didn’t feel included (in the It doesn’t do much. Itreally talks developmental process of The to intent rather than process,” said Plan) and that’s why he spoke so Uris. strongly,” Gray continued. “I consider it a minimal plan Wolfson agreed stating, “I rather than a maximum plan. think the forum provided an op There is very little in it that is portunity to see the strong emo aggressive or assertive or tions in the room and to really conffontive and I actually was a provide an oppor little bit surprised by the amount tunity for people to of concern that I heard,” Uris con hear how scared tinued. people are about College President John change or how Keyser agreed. “...Diversity is they perceive part and parcel to the educational change, and to see process. We study different cul a lot of miscom tures, different peoples, different munication.... theories and different concepts. “There is So I don’t think The Plan’s going some personal to change things that much. I kind of labelling don’t think that this is a major and attacking go leap forward or backward, de ing on which I pending on a person’s perspec thought really tive.” meant that we While many supporters feel need to educate The Plan is not going to drasti and listen to each cally alter the climate at CCC, other more. So in that sense, I Ellen Wolfson, international think the forum was a good tool,” counselor and WICHE planning she said. team member, believes the prin Wolfson feels there is a lan ciples included in The Plan will guage needed when sharing dif directly contribute to the improve ferences of opinions. When indi ment of campus diversity. viduals aren’t cautious of the way “I personally am a strong they express their feelings and be supporter of The Plan. I worked liefs, the statements “ignite and hard on it for two years.... Ithiink make the division even farther,” The Plan is educationally based. she said. It provides opportunities to in Dean Darris, political science crease your knowledge base, com instructor, felt the forum was a munication, tolerance and under contradiction in its intent. standing. I think the goals are “I saw some of the ‘applied things that lots of different kinds diversity’ at the discussion (fo of people can get involved in,” rum) and was somewhat appalled Wolfson explained. by the lack of respect-dignity to In an effort to lessen the de the students or the recognition of gree of miscommunication, a di their diverse opinions,” Darris versity forum was held April 27. said. Moderated by Uris, the intention Guy Crooks, volunteer coor was to bring both sides together dinator for ASG, was involved on neutral ground to debate the with planning sessions for issues as well as to inform par WICHE, during which comments ticipants of the pending plan in were made regarding the eligibil an open atmosphere. ity of campus input. “The purpose (of the forum) “I brought up the question, was to have an open exchange of ‘what are they going to do with ideas--and that did occur. Soin the input from the forum?’ be those terms it was successful,” cause I’ve heard people say in ______ meetings ‘we’re just going to have this (the forum) so that people think they have some input when really they don’t.’ And then they went so far as to say, ‘let’s not even have it (the forum) so that people don’t get the idea that they have in put when they really don’t’. So they de cided to have the fo -Kate Gray rum and I was just cu English Instructor rious as to whether the —___ input was going to count,” Crooks said. English instructor Kate Gray said. Darris said he appreciated Despite the fact that open that students were willing to share exchanges did occur, many par their opinions at the forum. ticipants on both sides equally “I saw the first glimmer of expressed frustration at the nega hope here. I thought the students tivity regarding the manner in did a phenomenal job, even which ideas were presented. though I didn’t agree with all of “I saw faculty not speak out you (the students) - but I’m not because of hostility. People were supposed to — that’s diversity,” The purpose (of the forum) was to have an open ex change of ideas -- and that did occur. So in those terms, it was successful. 5 6C Darris added. Keyser felt the forum accom plished what it realistically set out to do: open up lines of commu nication. “I think generally the forum was an effort to open up the pro cess. I think it did that. I think some people obviously have some very strong emotions about as I don’t thir problems is racism I th being screwe pects of it but generally we’ve tried to put it into the educational process, to be part of educational exchange, to be part of an ongo ing dialogue about what is best for Clackamas, really to the issues raised. So I feel that is a healthy process. “One of the outcomes from Original Draft 11-21-94 Goal 1 - Develop at least courses with diversity content Strategies: a) develop criteria for “diven content” b) examine existing courses to which satisfy “diversity conte (department level) c) research courses from otl schools for “diversity content’ d) determine number of ad tional classes needed in consul tion with curriculum commit so all AA degrees and certifies include one class e) award mini-grants or relei time to develop/modify classes meet criteria (i.e., support dev opment of diversity classes) student credit for research course development Goal 2 - Provide diversity tra ing for at least 10 different fi ulty per year (5 years or 10 yea Strategies: a) determine nature of training instructors and staff and sect courses and instructors (i.e., h consultant or form a consortii with the other cooperating co munity colleges) b) recruit and identify faculty ( hort c) identify and provi “completers” of cohort with i ward Goal 3 - Establish diversity ad sory committee that includes cot munity, administration, facul
