I start by posing a question to you: Do we attend an institution of progress and growth?

This past Tuesday, Dec. 4, the Illinois Student Senate Committee on Cultural and Minority Student Affairs held a forum on minority student enrollment and retention at the UI titled, “Minority Enrollment: What does it mean to you?”

The event was held in the Illini Union’s Courtyard Café and panelists included Keith Marshall, associate provost for Enrollment Management, Renee Romano, vice chancellor for Student Affairs, Michael Jeffries, director of the Office of Minority Student Affairs, Mikhail Lyubansky, professor of psychology, and Domonic Cobb, associate vice chancellor and director of Student Affairs.

Panelists spoke on initiatives that the University is undertaking to recruit more underrepresented minority students on campus. Interestingly enough, Professor Lyubansky and Domonic Cobb spoke on the importance of a multicultural environment on campus.

The truth is that the University is not a friendly institution to minority students. How do I know this? Because it is 2007, and I know black students who have been called n******. I know students of Asian backgrounds who have been called c*****. I know students of Latino background who have been called s****. I know students of the LGBT community spit at due to their sexual orientation. And, not to mention, in my three and a half years at this University I have witnessed the degradation and disrespectful treatment of the Native American community and culture.

So, it doesn’t come as a surprise to me that a number of students are choosing not to attend the University and instead are attending more minority-student friendly institutions in Chicago.

It doesn’t come as a surprise to me that students of color are deliberately leaving this institution before graduation due to the discrimination and racism that they have faced because of the color of their skin.

The truth of the matter is that students attend a higher institution of learning to move forward in intellect, in education and in life. This progress cannot take place if only a certain percentage of students have the ability to do so, while the rest feel their own progress is being hindered by the color of their skin, religion, sexual orientation, creed or customs.

We, as a university need to take stronger initiatives in order to ensure that progress at this institution is progress for all – not some. The University can do this by taking more initiatives to create a more welcoming environment on this campus by addressing issues of racism more effectively, quickly and providing actual repercussions for students and University-affiliated organizations that take part in bigotry and hate crimes. By doing so, recruitment efforts will be more effective and prospective students will have a more positive outlook of the University.

In the spring of 2006, a referendum looking to urge the University to take more initiatives to recruit minority students failed miserably – by more than 500 votes. What type of message does this provide for our minority community?

Thus, the ultimate goal of the Illinois Student Senate Committee on Cultural and Minority Student Affairs for this year is to get a referendum on the next student senate and student trustee ballot urging the University to once again, take stronger initiatives toward recruiting marginalized populations to this campus.

The recently held forum is one of the steps taken toward educating students and faculty on the importance of not only recruiting and retaining minority students, but the importance of a multicultural society.

So, I urge you to educate yourself more on this issue if you haven’t done so. I urge you to vote on getting the referendum on the ballot and passed. And, most importantly, I urge the minority students of this campus and marginalized populations to stick together and ensure that not only this referendum passes but our administration actually takes action toward creating a positive and progressive environment for this campus.

The University of Illinois, as an institution of higher education, stands as a symbol of progress and growth to the rest of the world. The reality is that it is not quite there yet. An institution of progress and growth, only progresses and grows if EVERYONE progresses and grows. Currently, it is only the reality for some. However, it is never too late to make this a reality for all.

Zenobia Ravji is a senior in LAS and chairwoman of the Illinois Student Senate Committee on Cultural and Minority Student Affairs. Responses can be sent to [email protected].