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UMD Diversity Commission looking for support
BY MIKE McGRATH
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
ISSUE: 78/20
The UMD Diversity Commission was developed in 1989 and sponsors multiple events around campus, but this organization is lacking student involvement. In fact, Stephanie Root, a third-year pharmacy student, is the only student member in the Diversity Commission. The rest of the members consist of UMD faculty and staff members. “I would like UMD students to know that this is a place where your voice can be heard,” Root said. “They can share their opinions and bring great perspective to the Diversity Commission. Students are greatly needed.”
The Diversity Commission works to create a climate that is welcoming to all people regardless of race, religion, age and sexual orientation for students, faculty and staff, according to Ruth Leathers, Diversity
Commission secretary and College of Pharmacy’s student service coordinator. The Diversity Commission is currently searching for UMD students to develop a positive slogan or design to represent diversity within the campus. The winning entry will appear on t-shirts, buttons and other Diversity Commission material.
“The whole idea of the t-shirt is visibility by having people wear them around campus,” said Leathers. “It’s really an awareness raising issue.” Currently, 25 entries have been submitted. Justine Preedit, a first-year pharmacy student, sent in her slogan with hopes of winning the contest. Preedit used the diversity training she received as an RA when creating her slogan. “With a t-shirt, it has to be something simple,” said Preedit. “I tried to find something that would get someone’s attention because this is such a deep issue.”
According to Leathers, all entries must be submitted by Friday, Feb. 22. Then the Diversity Commission members will evaluate the entries and narrow them down to finalists. Around Spring Break, students will have the opportunity to vote on the entries they believe represent diversity at UMD. The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to UMD stores.
The last time the Diversity Commission held this contest was in 2005, and they received 90 entries. The winning entry was “Look outside the box … look inside the person,” and was submitted by Thatparan Somasuntheram, who served on the Human Diversity Commission and graduated in 2005. “Both phrases are widely used slogans and when I put them in one sentence, it came out to be a deep and meaningful tag line,” said Somasuntheram. “Catch phrases and slogans are not going to mean anything unless tangible efforts are made to integrate and celebrate the diversity among us.”
