Report on Expanding the Role of the Elon University Multicultural Center

Rationale for Multicultural Education                                                                                     

Campus diversity and multicultural education are central to Elon University’s mission of “preparing students to be global citizens.” Recent studies show diverse learning environments enhance student learning. Daniel Yankelovich revealed Americans support diversity in higher education, recognize diversity has a positive impact on the campus and student success, and campuses should take explicit steps to ensure campus diversity, as well as learning, to function in a multicultural and global economy. Research by Professor Patricia Gurin of the University of Michigan and recent studies from the American Council on Education and the American Association of University Professors illustrated that students actually learn better by interacting and exchanging ideas with people different from themselves. Diverse classrooms and courses dealing with cultural differences enhanced students’ intellectual growth by challenging long-held beliefs and ideas.

These studies reinforce that a diverse learning environment and multicultural education programs: 
 

1. Improve student success and campus climate,
2. Provide students opportunities to learn from people different from themselves,
3. Encourage critical thinking, challenge stereotypes, and improve communication with diverse individuals,
4. Prepare students for citizenship in an increasingly complex and diverse society.

In other words, to fulfill its mission, Elon University must foster a more diverse environment and enhanced multicultural education in terms of opportunities for learning in and out of the classroom, as well as through recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff of diverse populations. In 2007, Elon University reaffirmed its commitment to these goals by making diversity an institutional priority. The committee on expanding the role of the Multicultural Center was assembled in February 2008 by the Office of the Provost and the Vice President for Student Life in recognition of the university’s role in supporting students who live and work in an increasingly diverse and multicultural society. Recruitment progress has certainly been made, and continued progress is still necessary. Additionally, the Multicultural Center has long worked toward providing programming to support students of diverse populations and to provide campus celebrations of diversity. In order to fulfill the university’s commitment to fostering diversity and multicultural education, there must be continued work to:
 

1. Diversify the campus population.
2. Promote an environment, both in and outside of the classroom, which is welcoming and supportive of all people.
3. Deepen opportunities for students to learn about their own identities and gain understanding of people and cultures different from themselves (see Goals of the Center on page 6).

We thank and acknowledge the work of the numerous studies and reports focused on diversity and campus climate that have been issued over the years at Elon University, such as the 2004 Academic Council Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Diversity (see Appendix IV). Virtually all have come to the same conclusion: change is necessary. However, this committee hopes this report will create real and measurable change through an official, university-wide implementation/action plan with identified goals, and concrete strategies for achieving them.