Diversity Issues at Indiana State?

WANTED: Passionate Sycamore Fanatics. That You?

Register NOW to join our community of die-hard Sycamore fans.

Register Log in
SycamoreStateofMind

SycamoreStateofMind

The Odum Level
Supporter
http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_...cle_d5d00dab-b8fd-501d-858f-875c700a5a31.html

This is an issue that I am personally very passionate about and have no problem speaking toward.

A "hunger strike", really? I assume following the lead of the University of Missouri football players who celebrated the resignation of that University President. Admittedly, I do not know what all went down at the University of Missouri that lead to the events that took place over the last couple of weeks. I do find it quite distasteful that any student group would celebrate the resignation of a University President.

The double standard here is really quite interesting to me. In 2007 there were 105 African American Presidents of predominantly white Universities or Colleges in the United States http://diverseeducation.com/article/8499/ I would simply pose this question, if the white students at those schools were to celebrate the resignation of one of those Presidents (for any reason) would that be okay? I don't believe that act would go over very well or be considered socially acceptable. So why is this reaction that we have seen in Missouri okay? The whole "diversity and equality" conversation always focuses on the wrong things.

I will go so far as to suggest that I think these "hunger strikes" and "free ____ (insert school name)" campaigns are simply an extension of the whole "Black Lives Matter" anti political, anti white and anti authority movement. All lives matter and once those groups realize this then we will finally start to make progress on this whole issue of diversity and equality. If you want lawlessness to reign in this country as it would seem Black Lives Matter would actually be advocating for then I tell you what, let me get back on my gun rights soap box and explain to you that I will be damned if I sit back and live in a world where we don't stand behind and support law enforcement. Yet at the same time attempt to un arm law abiding citizens, I will not sit back and act like that is okay on any level.

So those are my thoughts. One should also know that personally I sit on a committee in Terre Haute that is an extension of Terre Haute Tomorrow that focuses on Diversity and Socio Economics which is Chaired by my former basketball coach and prominent African American community leader Mel Burks. I think diversity issues do continue to exists in our community and I think a divide is still very real. That being said, I do not think movements like "Black Lives Matter" are really doing anything to improve the quality of life for minorities in this country. I do however believe that committee's like the one I mentioned above that work together with people from all ethnic backgrounds to peacefully and professionally support equality are very important.
 
Last edited:

Become a Supporting Member to remove this ad and help support the site.
ISU has the highest percentage of blacks on campus than any other state university.
In addition, our minority enrollment has increased by 70% in the last seven years.
We do not need to become more diverse. Rather, we should be more concerned about non-student thugs visiting our campus and bringing their lawlessness with them! Campus safety for all is what matters.
We can't be everything to everyone. In a democracy, the majority rules! However, that doesn't mean we should neglect the minority population. The fact that ISU has made a commitment to make significant increases in minority enrollment speaks volumes!
I would suggest if they don't like what ISU stands for, or what we have accomplished, they should transfer to another school. I'll bet they will discover how good ISU is in comparison.
 
WOZ said:
ISU has the highest percentage of blacks on campus than any other state university.
In addition, our minority enrollment has increased by 70% in the last seven years.
We do not need to become more diverse. Rather, we should be more concerned about non-student thugs visiting our campus and bringing their lawlessness with them! Campus safety for all is what matters.
We can't be everything to everyone. In a democracy, the majority rules! However, that doesn't mean we should neglect the minority population. The fact that ISU has made a commitment to make significant increases in minority enrollment speaks volumes!
I would suggest if they don't like what ISU stands for, or what we have accomplished, they should transfer to another school. I'll bet they will discover how good ISU is in comparison.
Click to expand...

In all fairness I think you've missed the point and your post is misguided. I could be wrong but does it speak to more diversity just because your enrollement of African Americans has increased?? Or is that just the population we have strategically target to increase our enrollement?

Furthermore, does it speak toward diversity and equality that we have more illegial immigrants in our country today than at any point in history or just a simple fact that we've allowed that to happen?? It would seem to me one in the same. In other words, just because our enrollment is up and or just because we have more illegal immigrants in our country doesn't necessarily define our social acceptance toward a given race. This issue is much more deep rooted than that, I appreciate your stance but I respectfully disagree that our enrollment alone sets us apart.

Being more "diverse" is not expressed in sheer numbers alone, that is underscorring the issue. I don't think increasing your student enrollment "speaks volumes", actually I think it is very self serving and that is the sole reason Indiana State has done what they have. However, I don't for a second think that Indiana State has done anything to create a divide. I attended Indiana State when the African American enrollment was much lower than it is now and have several friends (African American) who attended the school during this time - we can discuss this issue without having a hunger strike, in fact I will buy one of them a beverage and we can laugh about this nonsense.

Your going to go on a hunger strike against Dan Bradley and Indiana State, really? For what? I drew my line in the sand a long time ago - this is beyond out of control.
 
SycamoreStateofMind said:
In all fairness I think you've missed the point and your post is misguided. I could be wrong but does it speak to more diversity just because your enrollement of African Americans has increased?? Or is that just the population we have strategically target to increase our enrollement?

Furthermore, does it speak toward diversity and equality that we have more illegial immigrants in our country today than at any point in history or just a simple fact that we've allowed that to happen?? It would seem to me one in the same. In other words, just because our enrollment is up and or just because we have more illegal immigrants in our country doesn't necessarily define our social acceptance toward a given race. This issue is much more deep rooted than that, I appreciate your stance but I respectfully disagree that our enrollment alone sets us apart.

Being more "diverse" is not expressed in sheer numbers alone, that is underscorring the issue. I don't think increasing your student enrollment "speaks volumes", actually I think it is very self serving and that is the sole reason Indiana State has done what they have. However, I don't for a second think that Indiana State has done anything to create a divide. I attended Indiana State when the African American enrollment was much lower than it is now and have several friends (African American) who attended the school during this time - we can discuss this issue without having a hunger strike, in fact I will buy one of them a beverage and we can laugh about this nonsense.

Your going to go on a hunger strike against Dan Bradley and Indiana State, really? For what? I drew my line in the sand a long time ago - this is beyond out of control.
Click to expand...

Let's talk numbers...

The lates US Racial Demographics (post 2010 Census, so they're officially an 'estimate'

Caucasians make up 63% of the U.S.:
"Hispanics" 17%
Blacks, 12.3%
Asians, 5%
Multi-Racial Americans 2.4%

The racial makeup of Indiana (based on the 2011 estimate) was:
86.8% White American
(81.3% non-Hispanic white, 5.5% White Hispanic)
9.4% African American
1.7% Asian
1.7% biracial or multi-racial
0.4% Native American
0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders.

Terre Haute Racial Demographics:
83.5% White
10.9% African American
0.4% Native American
1.4% Asian
0.8% other races (?)
2.9% from 2 or more races

So... anyone know what ISU's racial demographics are? Have to believe they are at or below the U.S., State and Terre Haute... are they grossly below? I seriously doubt it.

Is there REALLY a problem at ISU? I doubt it --- the biggest thing I took from that Trib-Star article... there are less than 50 minority faculty members... I would read that as 'non-white' faculty members, regardless of Sexual Orientation, Gender ID / Choice...

That's kind of surprising.. if ISU has the 470 full time faculty members I researched... that <50 represents ~10% of the faculty population.

Is that I problem? I didn't have a problem taking classes from non-male, non-Euro_Americans... If you only want to be taught from people who look, sound like yourself, you won't get much of an education. I learned a lot at ISU OUTSIDE of the classroom.

Listening to the news that past couple of days, I don't think EVERY "issue" at Mizzu is a RACIALLY MOTIVATED problem.
There are dumb acts committed by dumb people, by drunk people, not EVERYTHING is driven by racism, despite what i'm told
 
Last edited:
This crap really needs to stop. Some punk in Ferguson gets killed for attacking a cop and the whole country is thrown into a racial crisis with the help of our racist president and the loud mouth Sharpton. Then we get Missouri football players going on strike, forcing their president to quit in order to protect the money that would have been lost from the game in Kansas City. Now we get some students at ISU going on a hunger strike till lunch time. Big deal, they lasted twelve hours. Most of these kids are going to college for free (Missouri and ISU) and they think they are being treated badly because thy are black. I had to pay for most of my college. Grow up and become contributing members of the United States of America!
 

Become a Supporting Member to remove this ad and help support the site.
sycamore tuff said:
This crap really needs to stop. Some punk in Ferguson gets killed for attacking a cop and the whole country is thrown into a racial crisis with the help of our racist president and the loud mouth Sharpton. Then we get Missouri football players going on strike, forcing their president to quit in order to protect the money that would have been lost from the game in Kansas City. Now we get some students at ISU going on a hunger strike till lunch time. Big deal, they lasted twelve hours. Most of these kids are going to college for free (Missouri and ISU) and they think they are being treated badly because thy are black. I had to pay for most of my college. Grow up and become contributing members of the United States of America!
Click to expand...

How do you know most of them are going to school for free? And they're in college, working on becoming contributing members just like their non-black counterparts. They had issues and they took a non-violent, non-offensive stand. That already makes them contributing members to society. You can't even get most white students at ISU to get involved with something, anything. No reason to get upset about what they did.
 
I have to disagree with your stance on the hunger strike. It feels like you are taking the defensive because you are white. They asked the president to respond to racial remarks being made towards african-american students on campus. when he failed to do so they went on strike. I don't really see what else you want them to do.
That being said besides the general societal prejudice and stereotypes being present, I don't feel like Indiana State as a University ever did a bad job on diversity. Being an inner city school teacher I wish someone had explained to me why the kids from chicago and indy were so far behind my freshman year, but other than that I think the blue collar nature of our school provides a much better culture for different walks of life. As a first generation college student myself it was why I picked ISU over the Loosiers in the first place.
 
jstolz said:
I have to disagree with your stance on the hunger strike. It feels like you are taking the defensive because you are white. They asked the president to respond to racial remarks being made towards african-american students on campus. when he failed to do so they went on strike. I don't really see what else you want them to do.
That being said besides the general societal prejudice and stereotypes being present, I don't feel like Indiana State as a University ever did a bad job on diversity. Being an inner city school teacher I wish someone had explained to me why the kids from chicago and indy were so far behind my freshman year, but other than that I think the blue collar nature of our school provides a much better culture for different walks of life. As a first generation college student myself it was why I picked ISU over the Loosiers in the first place.
Click to expand...

You can disagree with me all you want. It doesn't make either one of us right. I'm not "taking the defensive" on anything and we haven't met so you don't know what my race is. Yes, I am white but that has nothing to do with it. When I was at ISU and being treated in a disrespectful manner by fellow students with an African ancestry I didn't go making a show and hopping on the bandwagon, pretending to starve myself in order to get some attention.
I would imagine that the problem with inner city kids being behind academically is a result of the lack of two parents in many of the homes. Don't worry. Soon it will even out as the out of wedlock birth rates are climbing in suburbia also.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top