As a third-year student at The College of Wooster, I’ve seen how various changes have manifested within the demographic of our student population. Because the College is a predominately white institution, I do not realistically expect for minority groups to someday dominate the campus, but have still been very impressed to see the steady increase of domestic students of color. According to the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, a record number of 119 domestic students of color currently form part of the class of 2018. As an African-American and minority student myself, I can very much appreciate all that is being done to create more eclectic groups of individuals and ultimately foster a respectful and inclusive environment.
In continuing this initiative, President Grant Cornwell recently announced in a schoolwide email that he will be launching what he identifies as a “Diversity and Inclusion Listening Study.” In this study, faculty members from a wide variety of departments and offices will listen to constituencies across campus and gather ideas surrounding two major questions: 1) Do we do all that we can to create conditions where all of our students, faculty and staff have equal opportunities to thrive at Wooster? 2) Do we have the right resources and framework both to support the diversity of our community and to encourage all students, faculty and staff to engage our diversity as a central dimension of our mission?
At the core, this initiative reflects the very heart of the Wooster community and all that it hopes to accomplish. Independent minds are definitely working together in this effort to ensure that the campus community always feels like it is a safe space. However, in thinking about how to improve the future, we must always remember to look toward the past and all that has preceded this moment. As a collective, we have engaged in a plethora of dialogue and academic discourse surrounding topics of inclusivity on this campus, race relations and much more. So the question still remains: Why is now the appropriate time to launch such a program? What is it that has changed in the present that previously hindered similar campaigns from occurring in the past? Yes, the numbers do not lie. With such a high number of students of color, it cannot be denied that the presence of minorities on this campus is definitely much more apparent and demands for more action to be taken. Still, this reality forces our scholars to wonder if it is just the numbers that can make a difference on this campus. Three years ago former College of Wooster student Terry Mathis was assaulted by members of the town of Wooster. Outrage about this event circulated throughout campus and seemed to get students to finally open their eyes about the discomfort and lack of security students of color face both on and off this campus.
More recently, while walking on Beall, Jahqwahn Watson had his life threatened when a Wooster townsperon threatened to hang him.
Yet there was still no major crusade, at least on an administrative level, to demonstrate that actions such as these would be taken seriously and not be tolerated by the College of Wooster campus. I understand that such an unfortunate instance is somewhat beyond the College’s control due to the reality that the assailants were individuals from the larger Wooster community. However, I hope any similar occurence would generate a great deal of support from not only the students, but also those who govern this institution and ultimately have the power to effect tangible change.