UA bookstore bags display 'powerful message' of diversity

This advertisement is part of the fall 1997 Affirmative Action Campaign to promote awareness of diversity at the University of Arizona, said Janie Nuñez, associate vice president of the affirmative action office at the UA.

Laurie Carey, administrative associate for the affirmative action office said, "It's a simple but powerful message. Individuals see what an enriching experience it is to have different people working together."

According to the Princeton Review, UA's metaphorical box of crayons breaks down to 77 percent Caucasian, 3 percent foreign, 4 percent Asian, 11 percent Hispanic, and 2 percent African American students. The male to female ratio at UA is 49 percent to 51 percent.

Nuñez said the UA affirmative action office battles issues of sexual harassment and disability rights by handling complaints and conducting investigations.

The office surveyed students and faculty this summer about their knowledge of sexual harassment and other issues of equality.

"Our hope is that in six to nine months, we'll do the survey again and see that the results have changed," Nuñez said.

She said the affirmative action's message displayed all over campus may spark interest about issues regarding race, gender and social class.

The crayon advertisement was created by four graduate students in the UA marketing department. Undergraduate and graduate students designed advertisements for the affirmative action office as part of a class project.

"The students indicated that the use of colorful crayons is useful to them since this university is comprised of heterogeneous individuals," Carey said.

In addition to posters and bookstore bags, the Awareness Campaign will be displayed on bookmarks, table tents, flyers, pizza box tops, payroll stuffers and a computer screen saver.

The Awareness Campaign was started by the UA Civil Rights Advisory Council, an organization founded by former UA President Manuel Pacheco. The council agreed that it was important for diversity issues to be stressed on campus, Nuñez said.

Pre-education senior Mike Davidson received an affirmative action bag at the bookstore when he purchased his books for class.

"I support affirmative action beginning to end. It's almost my religion. I think the educational delivery system should be open to anyone without regard to race, gender or income level," Davidson said.