Shippensburg University Holds Diversity Week Focused on Inclusion
“to allow our campus community to step out of their comfort zone”
Diversity is an industry within higher education and business is booming.
ABC 27 News reports:
Shippensburg University’s diversity week focuses on inclusion
Shippensburg University is holding its second annual diversity week this week. Events are scheduled to take place throughout campus, focusing on the importance of diversity and inclusion.
“So the premise of Diversity Week is to allow our campus community to step out of their comfort zone. We are addressing all the -isms that encompass social justice,” Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Manuel Ruiz said.
“Diversity week is here to celebrate and educate the differences in individuals,” Skylar Walder and Lance Hines said. “It’s a really fun time to bring people together and to celebrate so many backgrounds.”
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Comments
Are they allowed to stay in their dorm rooms except for going to class and the dining halls? Sounds like a good week to be out of town actually.
If you “step out of your comfort zone” in the spirit of the week and say the wrong thing or make the wrong person uncomfortable, you could possibly face life-altering consequences under the discipline code. Not saying that about Shippensburg particularly, but I know that’s true at some colleges.
Inclusion is the new push. I got forced into DEI training like most higher ed people this year and this was their big thing. Pushing inclusion and pushing people into conversations in the name of “positive” outcomes. However, they really want to find and eliminate anyone who won’t at least pay lipservice to their philosophies.
Shippensburg University accepts 91% of its applicants.
Of those who enroll, 56% eventually graduate.
Median debt that must be repaid after graduation is ~$25,000, or about $2500 per year.
[Source: CollegeScorecard.ed.gov]
Shippensburg is part of the Penn State system, so the 1st Amendment applies. They have a 3-person DEI office that consists of a black woman as Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Officer, a gentleman named Manuel Ruiz as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and a white female support technician.
There are several positives, including a statement upholding free speech and that “I n regards to sharing pronouns, it is important not to make this a mandatory process.” https://www.ship.edu/about/offices/EIC/preferred_names_guidance/ There is an emphasis on “One World, One Human Race” which is a refreshing change from identity politics and CRT.
As for negatives, there is an indigenous land acknowledgement that references the Seneca-Cayuga Nation [which is now located in Oklahoma.] This is refreshing compared to Cornell’s acknowledgement which acknowledges a small Cayuga faction located in Seneca Falls, NY. However, ” Land acknowledgments do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation.” There is a troubling definition of “harassment” in their Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. https://www.ship.edu/globalassets/administration-finance/policies/701-001-anti-discrimination-and-anti-harassment-policy.pdf “: Behavior consisting of physical or verbal conduct that is sufficiently severe or pervasive such
that it substantially interferes with an individual’s employment, education or access to University programs,
activities or opportunities…” As with many other Universities, the policy uses “or” between “severe” and “pervasive” that should be an “and.”