This weekend students will tackle the issue of campus diversity in a forum focusing on Plan 2008, the 10-year plan enacted by the UW System Board of Regents in 1998 to improve diversity in the UW System.
Much of the forum will attempt to assess the impact of Plan 2008 on the UW-Madison campus. Plan 2008's inability to draw more students of color to the UW System has been a source of difficulty and debate.
\The biggest challenge we face is that the African-American and American-Indian enrollment has been basically flat,"" UW-Madison Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Paul Barrows said.
Plan 2008 has been more successful in increasing diversity among faculty and administration, Barrows said. However, Ruby Paredes, senior administrative programming specialist at UW-Madison, said she worries that recent funding cuts to the UW System could result in losing some of the recent gains, despite a pledge from UW-Madison to maintain its diverse faculty.
Enactment of another one of Plan 2008's goals could soon alter UW-Madison course requirements. To create a campus environment that is more welcoming and responsive to students of color, UW-Madison administrators are reviewing UW-Madison's ethnic studies requirement, Barrows said.
""We hope to improve the campus climate for everybody, and advance multiculturalism across the curriculum,"" Barrows said.
Generation 2008, a student organization, will host the forum Saturday. Group members said they hope the forum will encourage more students to work for the diversity goals of Plan 2008.
""All the goals of Plan 2008 are equally important and need to be advanced,"" said Sakhouy Lay, group spokesperson and UW-Madison junior.
Generation 2008 members stress that diversity is an issue every student should care about.
""We try to inform all students about the issue of diversity and how closely that issue is related to their quality of education,"" Lay said.
Group members said they hope the upcoming forum will raise awareness for Plan 2008 and help assess its impact on campus life.
""It will provide a forum where we can coalesce and discuss different initiatives, and collaborate on issues of diversity that will further the implementation of the plan,"" Lay said.
The forum is Saturday in Grainger Hall, and will include speakers, videos and small group discussions. All the initiatives of Plan 2008 will be on the table, which Generation 2008 members say will foster a meaningful and productive dialogue about how best to achieve diversity in the UW System.
Lay says the participation of all types of students is imperative.
""This isn't just an issue that affects students of color,"" Lay said. ""It affects everyone.""
