THERE is a concept in economics called the law of diminishing returns, which states that at a certain level, each successive unit of input increases output at a decreasing rate. In the world of public policy, this means that there is a point where just throwing more money or people at a problem won't do much to solve it. With this in mind, many were indifferent or even skeptical when the University announced that it had hired Bill Harvey as the first chief officer of diversity and equity. After all, this semester has seen a flurry of reactions to the recent racial incidents in the University, some of questionable effectiveness. Black ribbons and "I will not tolerate intolerance" signs may have been a reassuring show of solidarity for minority students, but such measures alone won't solve the problem of racism in the community. Fortunately, though, judging from his first official speech, Harvey appears to have been a wise addition to the University.
Based on the title of "chief officer of diversity and equity," one might assume that Harvey is now the director of all University policies regarding diversity. In his speech, however, he expressed a desire to "complement and supplement" the work of others in the University, rather than centralize all diversity efforts to his own office. He expressed a realistic view of the administration's influence over student attitudes. Rather than advocating hate speech bans, affirmative action and other heavy-handed measures often favored by diversity promoters, Harvey recognized that change can come only from within the student body. He also promised to be open to suggestions for addressing racism and intolerance within the community.
Several of Harvey's initial ideas for increasing racial tolerance are quite commendable. He wants to have regular meetings and events dealing with racial issues, but in academic settings that will interest a variety of student groups. Rather than just a vague event dedicated to diversity, he envisions, for example, a discussion of the media's reporting on racial issues during Hurricane Katrina. Dealing with race in more specific settings can draw students previously reluctant to discuss such a sensitive issue into conversations. Additionally, he plans to be accessible to students in informal settings as well as the more official events. Both of these ideas would assist tolerance in the community by ensuring that sensitive issues can be openly discussed in nonthreatening situations.
Harvey's restrained approach to difficult issues was equally reassuring. Responding to concerns from the audience about the diversity of the Greek system, he recommended that these concerns first be brought up with the Inter-Fraternity Council. When asked about a survey indicating that many Asian students encountered prejudice, he said that all discrimination should be treated equally.
On the other hand, some of his remarks deserve a critical look. He stated that he wants to address bias towards Western thought in the curriculum. It is true that some areas, such as Middle Eastern and South Asian History, could use a greater variety of courses. The University, however, already offers quite a few non-Western languages, as well as requiring each student to take three non-Western perspectives credits. If the University plans to add more non-Western influences into the curriculum, it must be careful to ensure that established academic courses are not diminished in any way.
Another statement by Harvey that is worthy of concern is the statement that minority representation in the faculty should be increased. Bias or discrimination in the University against minority professors should certainly not be tolerated. At the same time, we must make sure that any plans to increase faculty diversity do not lower hiring standards for minority professors. The University should not implement any affirmative action or racial hiring quotas that would value race over qualifications. Harvey did not propose any specific policies to remedy his concerns, so no one should jump to conclusions just yet. However, the administration must ensure that any policies designed to enhance diversity do not harm its academic standing.
The racist incidents earlier this semester showed two sides of the University. The vast majority of students deplored the acts, but racism continues to affect minority students at the University. Diversity is a sensitive issue that needs to be discussed freely and comfortably, and hopefully Harvey can enhance that conversation. Excluding a few worrisome remarks, Harvey's inaugural speech showed many excellent ideas for improving diversity and tolerance at the University.
Stephen Parsley's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at sparsley@cavalierdaily.com.
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