The UA has been working toward developing diversity interaction between students to increase the understanding of different cultures on our campus.

Raji Rhys-Wietecha, the assistant director of the Diversity Resource Office, said in addition to the diversity office, which is meant to weave diversity into every aspect of campus life, the UA has also created a diversity action plan.

The plan, which promotes multiculturalism by focusing on issues like campus climate and student and faculty retention, lists 87 specific ways to enhance these areas, Rhys-Wietecha said.

Rhys-Wietecha said some ways to enhance these areas are through interactive events, such as UA Discusses, an annual event that focuses on tolerance.

"The goal of the event is to help our entire campus community interact with people who are different from themselves," Rhys-Wietecha said.

The lack of diverse interaction is what bothers Jasmine Bonner, a psychology freshman, who said she expected the UA to be a much more diverse campus. Instead, she said she was disappointed.

"I came here and I've noticed there's a lot of not really closed-minded people, it's just that they've never been exposed to things," said Bonner, who is black. "I guess ignorance would be the right word."

Rebecca Covarrubias, the president of the Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, said although the campus could be more diverse, the university still provides minorities with a place to belong by establishing various culture centers around campus.

"We are all well aware of the fact that there exists the dominant culture and the minority culture on campus," Covarrubias said. "Things such as resources, outreach, role models and other campus services remind us that the focus still lies on the dominant culture."

Edith Auslander, vice president and senior associate to the President as well as the Diversity Coalition chairwoman said it can be difficult to feel accepted at a large campus, and acknowledged that in some instances, students experience a lack of understanding of their own cultures.

"Some don't (feel accepted). Some find that the environment doesn't understand," Auslander said. "And I think it has to do sometimes with being part of a culture that's not really as well known here."

One problem the campus faces is that many people lack the understanding of what diversity is, or feel that only minority students will benefit, Auslander said.

"We work at this a lot, but there's an awareness that has to be brought first to some people who have not understood the value of diversity," she said, adding that some people falsely believe that multicultural organizations are only limited to minority members, and cause further isolation within the community.

"The important thing to note is that although these organizations are geared toward certain (groups of people), they are not exclusive," Auslander said.

Auslander also said some students wrongly fear that quotas are still used to ensure diversity.

"That's all gone," Auslander said. "It's actually unlawful."

Nevertheless, Rhys-Wietecha said diversity is not all about figures.

"If you look at the national conversation on diversity, one thing is numbers, but numbers aren't everything," Rhys-Wietecha said. "A lot of it is also about what do you do once you get people here that represent that diverse population."

And a lot is being done for the students here, Rhys-Wietecha said.

In addition to the Department of Multicultural Programs and Services, the university also offers the Disability Resource Center and the Pride Alliance, she said.

"I think there's a lot being done," Rhys-Wietecha said. "Could there be more? There could always be more."