2008 Woodie Awards
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Column
By Tom Lyden
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Opinion
Represent, homie.
Lehigh should be a school and not a showcase of diversity.
Of course, we need to address concerns. For instance, there are complaints that Lehigh's campus is too homogenized.
But we overreact to these concerns by trying to conquer diversity. Zealously, we are losing sight of what makes diversity important.
A backbone principle of the U.S. government has been the free marketplace of ideas. Diversity is just one important part of that philosophy. More importantly, there is freedom.
Whenever we try and manipulate freedom, whether in the name of diversity or whatever, we taint it a little bit.
Theoretically, we should operate as hands-off as we can. In that way, the best ideas can emerge from the marketplace, unobstructed.
Unfortunately, when complained to, certain people feel obliged to tilt the scales of societal justice. The audacity!
From that righteous, guilty feeling, diversity has become an actionable goal instead of a working principal.
"Achieving diversity at Lehigh requires working toward building a community that is more reflective of our society," according to the Web site of Lehigh's Diversity Initiative and its 13 administrative members.
First of all, we can't achieve diversity like a hole-in-one. The problem is qualitative, not quantitative. Saying we want to achieve diversity is like saying we want to achieve being alive. OK, now what?
Instead of being content just being alive, let's live the good life, shall we?
The second half of that quote is also misleading. Communities don't reflect; mirrors do. Communities inspire and accomplish goals within their society. Reflecting all of society in one community is like holding one small mirror up to a larger one. Of course it will be an accurate reflection.
Instead of being so diversity-crazed with our outer appearance, that energy should be turned inward. We should become the best university we can from the inside, out.
Let's go blind on all admissions. Why not? Won't we get the best students that way? We all want the best students, don't we?
"But, what about diversity?"
During admissions, let's reserve 1 in 12 spots for international students. That will give us a broad range of ideas represented on campus.
That's what Japan's Kansai Gaidai University did. KGU created a school for international education. Students from around the world come and learn about Japan. Meanwhile, Japanese students get to learn about people from foreign countries. There is also the added bonus of foreign students learning about each other.
"But, what about the neighborhood, don't we have to look like the neighborhood?"
That's not a big issue, either. Let's just devote another 1 in 12 spots to students from surrounding school districts. People from this area certainly will not forget that gesture of goodwill, and relations might improve.
Instead of focusing on what keeps us apart, let's focus on the educational goals that keep us together. In that way, we can become more attractive as a university, and more people will want to come here.
As it stands now, Lehigh has few non-athletic black students. One might say blacks just don't want to come. Let's not coerce them into coming.
No one tries that hard to make someone come to a party, unless it's lame.
We need to do what's right. We can raise our level of diversity naturally from within.
Before we go trying to represent the whole world to itself, let's represent the best Lehigh we can to the whole world.
Represent, homie.
Thomas M. Lyden is a senior journalism and Asian studies major. His column, Ne'er-do-well, appears alternate Fridays.
Lehigh should be a school and not a showcase of diversity.
Of course, we need to address concerns. For instance, there are complaints that Lehigh's campus is too homogenized.
But we overreact to these concerns by trying to conquer diversity. Zealously, we are losing sight of what makes diversity important.
A backbone principle of the U.S. government has been the free marketplace of ideas. Diversity is just one important part of that philosophy. More importantly, there is freedom.
Whenever we try and manipulate freedom, whether in the name of diversity or whatever, we taint it a little bit.
Theoretically, we should operate as hands-off as we can. In that way, the best ideas can emerge from the marketplace, unobstructed.
Unfortunately, when complained to, certain people feel obliged to tilt the scales of societal justice. The audacity!
From that righteous, guilty feeling, diversity has become an actionable goal instead of a working principal.
"Achieving diversity at Lehigh requires working toward building a community that is more reflective of our society," according to the Web site of Lehigh's Diversity Initiative and its 13 administrative members.
First of all, we can't achieve diversity like a hole-in-one. The problem is qualitative, not quantitative. Saying we want to achieve diversity is like saying we want to achieve being alive. OK, now what?
Instead of being content just being alive, let's live the good life, shall we?
The second half of that quote is also misleading. Communities don't reflect; mirrors do. Communities inspire and accomplish goals within their society. Reflecting all of society in one community is like holding one small mirror up to a larger one. Of course it will be an accurate reflection.
Instead of being so diversity-crazed with our outer appearance, that energy should be turned inward. We should become the best university we can from the inside, out.
Let's go blind on all admissions. Why not? Won't we get the best students that way? We all want the best students, don't we?
"But, what about diversity?"
During admissions, let's reserve 1 in 12 spots for international students. That will give us a broad range of ideas represented on campus.
That's what Japan's Kansai Gaidai University did. KGU created a school for international education. Students from around the world come and learn about Japan. Meanwhile, Japanese students get to learn about people from foreign countries. There is also the added bonus of foreign students learning about each other.
"But, what about the neighborhood, don't we have to look like the neighborhood?"
That's not a big issue, either. Let's just devote another 1 in 12 spots to students from surrounding school districts. People from this area certainly will not forget that gesture of goodwill, and relations might improve.
Instead of focusing on what keeps us apart, let's focus on the educational goals that keep us together. In that way, we can become more attractive as a university, and more people will want to come here.
As it stands now, Lehigh has few non-athletic black students. One might say blacks just don't want to come. Let's not coerce them into coming.
No one tries that hard to make someone come to a party, unless it's lame.
We need to do what's right. We can raise our level of diversity naturally from within.
Before we go trying to represent the whole world to itself, let's represent the best Lehigh we can to the whole world.
Represent, homie.
Thomas M. Lyden is a senior journalism and Asian studies major. His column, Ne'er-do-well, appears alternate Fridays.
