By Haeley Huggard, reporter
UNIVERSITY CENTER – Delta College is home to Pioneers from all over the Tri-Cities. People come for lower tuition costs and for a positive learning experience. A diverse classroom is a hefty contributor to that experience, but students often wonder if Delta has forgotten about diversity.
Student employee and part-time student, Jamera Bates expressed that she feels Delta should be doing more to attract a variety of students and faculty of different ethnicities.
“The majority of the faculty, not including student workers, and the majority of the professors and other workers have the same ethnic background,” says Bates.
Bates also expressed concern about feeling like the odd one out because of uneven class ratios.
“It seems as though the class ratios don’t line up,” says Bates. “When I am in class, it seems as though I am the only person with a different ethnic background.”
Which begs the question: Is Delta neglecting to promote diversity?
The Delta College senate recently approved a diversity and inclusion policy, however, on Nov. 12, 2019 the board of trustees voted to table this policy indefinitely. To table a policy means to postpone or suspend consideration of a pending motion.
Delta College president Jean Goodnow told the Collegiate that the policy was tabled because it applied to members of the Delta College Senate, instead of all employees across campus.
“Comments by the Trustee and me, at the meeting, were fully supportive of diversity and inclusion at all levels of the college and I’m confident we’ll achieve the best outcome soon,” says Goodnow. “The postponement was not due to a lack of support of the issue, but rather a belief there may be a better method of implementation for all employees.”
The goals listed in this policy were targeted toward improving diversity of Delta’s policies, procedures and practices, which would help with avoiding biases and barriers when it comes to inclusive learning, working and the social environment at Delta College. This policy also held all councils, committees, divisions and departments responsible for carrying out these goals.
Krysta Vincent, a current librarian for Delta, agreed that the college should be doing more to promote encouragement of equal opportunities for students of various ethnicities. In addition, she expressed that Delta should provide more ways to help a variety of students be successful.
“I do feel that Delta should do more to try and encourage students of various races/ethnicities to attend here,” says Vincent. “But I think the issue is making Delta a place where all people can succeed. It’s easy to say ‘Sure! We want to be a place that all people can thrive!’ But it’s another thing to have policies and procedures in place that will help all people succeed.”
Vincent believes that the new campus in downtown Saginaw will give students a better chance at succeeding and being able to make it to their classes.
