Nearly one hundred students gathered Feb. 3 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union with the common goal of solving minority problems on the UW-Madison campus.
The Student Town Hall Meeting began with vice provost for Diversity and Climate Damon Williams discussing the major diversity issues on campus and the progress made in solving these issues.
""I hear so much of the pain from students, faculty or staff,"" Williams said. ""People look at me differently because I am x, y or z.""
Williams presented issues progressing on campus and others that have remained the same or regressed. One of those issues progressing is the university's undergraduate enrollment of minorities, but Williams will not be happy until UW-Madison is the ""national champion.""
Chancellor Biddy Martin made a brief appearance and applauded the initiatives of the forum.
After seeing the diversity issues on campus, students formed into small groups of eight to ten to create solutions. Students focused on four issues including student academic success, campus climate and campus media, diversity and ASM, and students and campus partnerships.
After much discussion, each group generated three tangible solutions to their specific topic.
Proposed solutions surrounding minority portrayal in media included a minority-centered column in campus publications with the goal of spreading their message to a widespread audience.
Students proposed ideas including giving social action leaders college credit for their volunteer work and changing ethnic studies classes to be purely discussion. The goal would be to promote conversation on campus.
Students discussing diversity and ASM suggested having direct communication between ASM leadership and minority leadership to allow for better communication on common goals.
Students also proposed a peer-based mentorship program between undergraduate and graduate students to help guide undergraduate students through their college experiences.
The opportunity to actively create solutions to diversity problems on campus excited students.
""I'm curious and anxious to see where these things are going to go,"" student Chantal Fuller said. ""If they're going to remain just as a conversation or if they're actually going to be solidified [into solution].""
