The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- October 11, 1999

Campuses set for 'Week of Dialogue'

A special emphasis on racial issues will take center stage on college campuses across the country as Campus Week of Dialogue kicks off a month-long initiative that is intended to enhance relationships between different cultures on campus.

Campus Week of Dialogue, a product of the President's Initiative on Race, was conducted October 4-8 with various on-campus events such as town hall meetings, campus-community partnerships, student-leader meetings and other campus activities. The events are designed to promote racial reconciliation and cultural awareness.

The initiative, the second annual, is coordinated by the U.S. Department of Education and invites all college and university presidents to organize events on campus throughout the week and beyond. More than 600 colleges and universities participated in last year's Campus Week of Dialogue.

This year's theme is "Who Will Build One America?" which is intended to raise awareness of community and personal responsibility. Some of the many popular events being staged this year are town hall meetings with students, faculty and staff; meetings between campus and community leaders who brainstorm ways to improve racial relations; film showings; cultural festivals; and community-service projects that promote racial reconciliation.

At the University of South Florida, for example, the student government hosted the SG U.N.I.T.E.D. Summit, the "Under New Initiative Towards Education on Diversity," which focused on celebrating the diversity of the university and educating the community about cultural differences. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley attended the summit and provided opening remarks.

Washington State University conducted a town hall meeting that accommodated more than 700 participants. The University of California, Berkeley, is hosting a panel of speakers and discussion leaders that includes the university chancellor and representatives from the university board of regents and student groups.

At the University of Mississippi, a student group created for the 1998 President's Initiative on Race continued its work by conducting a summit entitled, "Many Faces, Many Voices: One Solution." The summit, a product of the group's work over the last year, is a partnership among 12 institutions, including all eight public universities in the state of Mississippi. The summit was scheduled to take place October 1 to coincide with the anniversary of the day James Meredith integrated the University of Mississippi.

And at Bowie State University, the school's office of student activities is sponsoring a film festival of four diversity-related features, each of which will be followed by a 30-minute discussion/dialogue.

"The President's Initiative on Race is an effort to help us build one America in the 21st century, a nation of people who respect their diversity and embrace the values that unite them," said Riley.

Riley emphasized that though most Campus Week of Dialogue activities are scheduled to occur during the week of October 4-8, the types of discussions and searches for solutions should be ongoing, particularly on college campuses."We need for the effects of Campus Week of Dialogue to be lasting," Riley said. "Given the typically diverse setting of college campuses, there's no better forum for ongoing discussions to seek racial reconciliation. The commitment to diversity and to bridging cultural differences should be a year-round initiative."

For additional information on conducting activities regarding racial and diversity issues, contact the Campus Week of Dialogue team at 202/205-2109, or visit the One America Web site at www.ed.gov/campusdialogue/.