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Why
Diversity?
Let’s face it. Diversity is no
longer a buzz word; it’s
reality. Interim population projections recently released by the U.S.
Census Bureau reveal the true extent of the diversity explosion in
the United States. Consider this: The nation’s Hispanic and Asian
populations are set to triple over the next half century and non-Hispanic
whites will likely represent about one-half of the total population
by 2050, states a U.S. Census Bureau release.
It only makes sense then that corporations and classrooms alike are
becoming increasingly diverse in an effort to not only better reflect
the world we live in but to successfully compete in the global
economy.
“Increasingly studies show that diversity is good for the bottom
line,” says Nina Fenton, Program Director in the School of Management
at City University of Seattle. “And I think the U.S. is ahead
of Europe in this regard; I see it embedded everywhere here.”
 The institution that has done a commendable job is the U.S. military,
points out Fenton. “Regardless of what you might think of that
institution, they have done an amazing job in the area of diversity.
The second runner up would be corporate America, and thirdly academic
institutions,” she says.
Academic institutions, such as City
University, also are well positioned to teach the importance of international
diversity and cultural competence so that students are well prepared
for the “global society” we
now live in. A multicultural workforce is now the norm not the exception
both in the U.S. and abroad, so helping students improve their cross-cultural
skills is essential.
And what better way to teach this notion of international diversity
than by teaching through example. Take the School of Management. Fenton
herself is from Copanhagen, Denmark while many of the students in her
program come from some other far off corners of the world. Invaluable
tools such as technology have allowed the university to become and
stay increasingly global by connecting students and faculty regardless
of where they live.
 “We have a lot of our students on line, so in a virtual classroom you
may have a banker from Germany or an accountant from Mongolia… students
from all over the world are instantly together, so even if you do not want
to learn or you have certain prejudices, by the time you are done with the
class you can’t help but be awed by the input from your fellow students
who may come from countries you can’t even point to on a map,” says
Fenton. International students often feel welcome at CityU, adds Fenton, because
of this diverse student body, faculty, and global focus.
City University has made a commitment
to diversity and this is reflected in CityU’s strategic plan.
CityU acknowledges the existence of social inequities and prejudices
that deny equal opportunities and limits individuals from achieving
their full potential. It believes that diversity enriches the academic
and work place environment. By fostering the development of a culture
of inclusion at every level of the institution, CityU provides quality
education for our students and a desirable and supportive workplace
for faculty and staff. CityU is committed to respect and appreciate
all persons with the desire to learn and to incorporate diversity in
all aspects of teaching and learning and in the recruitment and retention
of diverse faculty, staff, and students. The commitment is across all
three schools' programs and curriculum. Three groups leading the charge
are The President’s Council on Diversity, The Internationalization
Committee, and The Albright School of Education Diversity Committee.
The university also has formed partnerships with the City of Bellevue
and Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Diversity Task Force.
City University has certainly been an early
adapter of diversity and a leader in this area. Just take a look
at the university’s five
value statements—flexibility, accessibility, innovation, relevance,
and global—areas that help promote an increasingly diverse staff
and student body. In fact, of the 19 objectives put in place to achieve
these goals, 12 of them specifically focus on diversity inclusion and
globalization, states Paul Ganalon, Academic Representative, Continuing
Education and Diversity Outreach and chair of the President’s
Council on Diversity at CityU.
 “CityU
believes that in diversity there is strength. Only by fostering the
development of a ‘culture
of inclusion’ at every level of our institution, can we provide
a quality education for our students and a desirable and supportive
workplace for our faculty and staff. The President’s Council
on Diversity is committed to developing institutional goals and strategic
initiatives that will establish a truly diverse working and learning
environment. We are committed to creating an equitable and safe setting
where all are given the opportunity to reach their potential both personally
and professionally,” says Ganalon.
Indeed, diversity is present throughout CityU; it’s an idea that
resonates from the university’s core. “For many corporations,
a value statement is something that hangs on a wall and is only visited
at the annual shareholders meeting. Here at CityU, our values are more
than a bumper sticker; they are embedded in our academic model,” says
Fenton.
Both faculty and staff benefit from such a policy of diversity and
inclusion. “Our faculty members help prepare our students for
the real world— the world of the future—whether that’s
in business, the art and sciences, or in education, we are preparing
them for our global society. Nowhere is that more evident that in the
Albright School of Education where we place teachers out there who
also act as role models for the students they serve,” states
Ganalon.
 The
City of Bellevue, where the CityU headquarters are located, has gone
through some dramatic demographic changes itself during the last 20
years. Hired 13 years ago as its Community Relations Coordinator for
the City of Bellevue’s (WA) Cultural Diversity Program, Kevin
Henry has witnessed the city blossom into a truly global community.
“When I came on board, there were about 40 different languages
being spoken in the school district here in Bellevue. Now it is up
to 70,” he says.
To better understand this drastic shift in demographics and how its
residents were adjusting to the new cultural dynamics at play, Henry
helped organize taskforces comprised of citizens, government officials,
and educators to better address the needs of the ever-changing community.
Focus groups were devised to ascertain the needs of the new immigrants
to the city as well as those individuals with disabilities or of other
ethnic backgrounds. Workshops were implemented (in conjunction with
the Bellevue School District) to train non-profit agencies and educational
institutions to understand the community’s diversity as well
as how to more efficiently serve these populations. Even educational
seminars on diversity were offered so that city officials could better
understand these varied groups sothey could better serve them.
But gathering information was not their only aim.
 “A
broader objective of the program was to unite the community because
when you have a community where there are language issues or cultural
barriers, there is a tendency for people to become
isolated,” says Henry. “And in fact certain groups
of immigrants were becoming isolated and cut off from the rest of the
city so a lot of the events that we planned were really designed to
bring these factions of the community together in order to create a
stronger, more unified community.”
Although many communities, like Bellevue, are trying to embrace diversity,
there is still a lot of work to be done. “When you take a look
at our K-12 classroom instructors, they do not represent the children
that they are serving. So these children of color and of diverse backgrounds
are going to ask, ‘Am I going to have a teacher who looks like
me?’ They want to be able to identify with the instructors standing
in front of their classroom,’” says Ganalon.
Rather than being reactive to potential challenges, such as diversity
in the classrooms, Henry hopes that the City of Bellevue will become
more proactive and anticipate problems before the arise. This will
require continued effort and solid support for such diversity programs
going forward.
“On the surface things can appear to be fine, everybody seems
to be happy, but underneath that surface can be tension or even misperceptions
about other groups of people,” he says. “One of the challenges
is to really emphasize that this entire program, or this whole mindset
of diversity, is an ongoing continuum that we need to think about constantly.”
Even the goals and objectives of CityU's council on diversity are
continually being tweaked to reflect the needs of the community it
serves. “It’s a work in progress because the real world
is always changing,” says Ganalon.
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