CUSP battles discrimination

Affirmative action, racism, prejudice and discrimination.

These problems still plague our nation and campus. But at SF State, a group of students, faculty, administrators and staff known as the Commission on University Strategic Planning, which began last spring, is working hard to break the cycle of discrimination on campus.

According to Hollis Matson, group leader of the task force, approximately 30 people make up the multi-ethnic, multi-gender group. This is the group's second meeting since it was formed.

"Those that are involved in the task groups," Hollis said, "have invested a great deal of their time to try to come to a common feeling of a strong and diverse campus that has little or no discrimination."

"We are a group of people who really believe in the work that we are doing, and I have a great deal of optimism and hope for what we are doing," Hollis said.

While CUSP is mainly involved with developing principles and ideas, the commission hopes to make these ideas concrete, shaping a curriculum that is more reflective of the college community.

CUSP's task force on discrimination is one of six that deal with topics such as teaching and learning success, internationalizing the university and community responsibility. During a series of discussions held last Thursday, the task force met to develop ideas on breaking the cycle of discrimination on campus and in the classroom.

Among one of many suggestions discussed by the group, members recommended that the university "develop a course that helps students (enhance) strategies, skills and perspectives for dealing with diversity, so they can become leaders who can deal with these crises after they leave (SF State)."

Making courses on diversity a requirement for students, creating workshops for faculty and staff to learn how to deal with race issues and the building of the student-teacher relationships are all ways the group hopes to end discrimination.

One such course, Ethnic Diversity and U.S. Journalism, which is a requirement for all journalism students at SF State, is an example of a class in which issues of racism and diversity are relevant to the subject matter.

"Diversity should not be a separate entity, it should spread across all courses and all parts of this campus," said Jean van Keulen, special education department chair, during the meeting Thursday.

While CUSP is open to all students, many on campus are unaware of the work the commission is doing.

"I never thought that something was being done to end the discrimination and racism on this campus -- I only wonder why no one knows about this," said ethnic studies senior Kim Hunter.

Although many in CUSP feel this is a first step in eliminating discrimination, there is still more to do.

"Regardless of how much we are doing to end discrimination, it will never feel like enough -- we have a long way to go," Matson said.

The next task group meeting will be held on Nov. 16. Students can get more information by contacting CUSP on campus at 338-3376.

Andrew Martin and Alex Mullen contributed to this story.

[ Golden Gater Online October 24, 1995 ]

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