Diversity.
The buzzword used by colleges and universities to appeal to prospective incoming students. I can see it now: a college welcome pamphlet with the most “diverse” students on the cover — a black, white, Asain and Hispanic group of friends laughing and smiling, like they don’t have a care in the world.
But is that an accurate portrayal of what diversity on college campuses look like? I’d say no.
During my freshman year at Azusa Pacific, I felt underrepresented on campus. As a first-generation Hispanic female, I found it difficult to find and connect with other students like myself. I was a bit disappointed that the university was not as diverse and representative as the welcome brochure made it out to be. I can’t say I was overly surprised, though, considering the university’s demographic statistics. But why is the demographic so polarized?
In Fall 2018, the National Center for Education Statistics reported 37 percent of undergraduate students at APU were white, 33 percent were Hispanic/Latino, while 10 percent were Asian, six percent were black or African American and a mere one percent were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.
Fortunately, when compared to the same report conducted in fall 2017, the Hispanic percentage grew by 3 percent and Asian percentage by one percent. However, the percentage of black and Native Hawaiians remained the same.
Clearly, the 4 percent difference between Hispanics and whites is not too drastic; however, the combined 17 percent of every other ethnicity compared to the combined 70 percent of Hispanic and whites, is alarming. If I felt underrepresented as a freshman, with the Hispanic to white ration somewhat even, I can’t image how underrepresented other minority groups feel.
In the 2016-2017 school year, APU conducted a Diverse Learning Environments Survey, which intended to assess student perceptions and experiences of campus climate, institutional practices and student learning outcomes. The institutional data surveyed students’ sense of belonging on campus, which measured the extent to which students feel a sense of academic and social integration on campus. Only 51 percent of men and 50.5 percent of women said they felt a part of the campus community. When asked about perceptions of the campus’ commitment to diversity, those numbers fell, with 45.3 percent of men and 46.1 percent of women perceiving the university as diverse.
With statistics like these, what has the university done to accommodate and integrate students of color?
The Student Center for Reconciliation and Diversity currently supports and sponsors seven ethnic organizations on campus: Armenian Student Association; Asian Pacific American Student Organization; Black Student Association; Latin American Student Association; Pacific Islanders Organization; Indigenous Peoples Circle; and Kapamilya, the Filipino Student Organization.
Ethnic organizations are intended to bring about a sense of belonging on campus — a home away from home where students of the same ethnicity can gather and engage in community. While ethnic organizations are certainly necessary, I wonder if the university should be doing more to support and represent students of color.
“I feel our ethnicity is underrepresented in terms of administration and [professors], but more importantly in terms of campus culture,” said senior marketing major and president of BSA, Malachi Smith.
“APU definitely recognizes the importance of addressing diversity issues, but I feel they often don’t address them in the correct way. I feel that in the interest of public peace, transparency suffers, and that can make us feel like [they are] being vague, making an attempt to sweep certain issues under the rug, which may not be their motive, but it’s often interpreted that way,” continued Smith.
Alexxis Hernandez, a junior psychology major, is a first-generation Hispanic student. Hernandez believes that APU could be doing more in terms of marketing and retention.
“APU needs to reassess how they are marketing to students of color,” said Hernandez. “Recognize where students of color are going and try to mimic that or incorporate those aspects into APU, because obviously other schools do a better job of it. Rather than trying to find an immediate solution, let’s ask better questions. Also, realize that you can’t market to students of color, and then leave them hanging once they are here.”
Hernandez suggests examining ethnic diversity from a different perspective.
“When you think of retaining cultural diversity, you have to look at it differently,” continued Hernandez. “You have to ask, ‘Do students of color feel comfortable expressing themselves fully on campus? Or do they feel like they need to conform, confined to APU’s generic style?’”
I don’t mean to undermine all the work APU has done to cultivate ethnic diversity; they have made strides, and continue to make strides, in terms of diversity within my four years attending APU. What I am saying, though, is that there is still a long way to go. The solution? I have no idea. But, awareness and recognition is half the battle to making APU the inclusive community it strives to be. As long as the students of APU continue to fight for ethnic diversity and representation, then APU will be one step closer towards reflecting God’s kingdom on earth.