The Diversity Climate at UVM
AN INSTITUTIONAL AND PERSONAL LOOK AT
DIVERSITY AND ISSUES AROUND RACE AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
Who Are We?
 Beverly Colston, Director of ASC
 Nick Negrete, Assistant Director
 Patricia Nguyen, Program & Outreach Grad. Asst
We are from the ALANA Student Center. The ASC fully
supports the holistic development of African,
Latin@, Asian, Native American, and bi/multiracial
students so that as confident students of color they
attain their goals for academic achievement,
personal growth, and identity formation and cultural
development.
First and Foremost…
 What do you expect from this session?
 What do you think it’s about?
 What do you we, as speakers, are here to do?
 We are not here to impose ideology, we’re here to
present another perspective to you, just like class
and readings do, for you to consider.

What you choose to do with the gaining of this new perspective
and information is UP TO YOU.
Goals for the Plenary Session
 To explore the current climate, in particular around
issues of racial diversity, at UVM.
 To consider our (you and us) own impact on the
“climate” here at UVM.
 Create a sense of self awareness around these issues
that affect us all.
Thoughts to Consider
 What is climate?
 What is the condition of the environment at UVM to
sustain the life of the community that resides here?
 Is the climate conducive to diversity focused efforts?
 How do people and policy fare?
Did You Know?
 As students, are you aware of UVM’s commitment to
creating a culturally pluralistic community—a place
where people from a range of racial, ethnic, religious,
class, sexual orientation and gender backgrounds
live and learn together?
From President Fogel…
 The university’s mission statement outlined,
“commitment to diversity in the student body, the
faculty, staff, and the curriculum”.
 The Advancing Diversity document of 2005 states
that “diversity and inclusion are inseparable form
academic excellence.”
Before Fogel’s Tenure
 Our Common Ground (1998) states “UVM is an
educationally purposeful community seeking to
prepare students to live in a diverse and changing
world”.
The Institution Says….
 With all this institutional commitment, how are we
actually doing?
 As a community, what are our triumphs and our
setbacks?
In Relation to Racial Diversity…
 What is the UVM experience for majority White
students? How are majority White students engaged
in the conversation and reality of this commitment to
creating a diverse and inclusive community?
 What is the experience of students of color at UVM?
What do they see, feel, hear and sense on a daily
basis?
 How are each of you an engaged participant in the
creation of an inclusive community for all students?
Terms to Better Understand Racial Diversity
 Diversity
 Racism
 Prejudice
 “The System”
Diversity
 Diversity refers to recognizing difference.
Our use of the word is anchored in the belief that
there is a difference in power between various groups
of people in this society.
 The difference in power gives some people more
privilege than others. We have greater access to more
resources in society based on our privilege.
Becoming Self-Aware
 Where do we have privilege?
 Are we aware of the parts of our identity where we do
and do not have privilege?
Share a story…
ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU BECAME AWARE
OF THE DIFFERENCE AND POWER
DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN YOURSELF AND
ANOTHER.
A Show of Hands…
 How many of you were able to share a story?
 How many shared a story where you became aware
of more power?
 Less Power?
What is Racism?
 Beverly Tatum relies on the definition of David
Wellman:

“A system of advantages based on race”.
The system in this country is well in place and benefits
White people even when they “do not embrace
overtly prejudicial thinking.”
Prejudice
 Prejudice is a pre-conceived judgment or opinion
usually based on limited information.
 Prejudice does not have the power to give anyone an
advantage over another.
“The System”
 The system involves:
 Cultural messages
 Stereotypes
 Assumptions
 Institutional policies and practices
 Beliefs and actions of individuals and groups
The System of Racism
 …is institutionalized and impacts all aspects of our
society including higher education and UVM.
 Work to improve the climate for diversity takes on
the force of racism in our culture.
What is the climate for racial
diversity here at UVM?
What do we have at this moment?
 Current Student Demographics
 Student Population: 11,870
1.14% African American
0.30% Native American
1.62% Asian American
1.31% Latino/a
1.36% Multi-Racial
 THERE ARE LESS THAN 200 INDIVIDUALS IN ANY
SPECIFIC RACIAL GROUP.
 This demographic includes graduate and professional degree
seeking students.
What is the experience of some of
the growing number of students of
color at UVM?
Let’s Talk
 Where were you surprise? When? Why? Why not?
Were student experiences negatively affected by
racism?
 How did race advantage or disadvantage one person
(or group) from another?
 Where assumptions made based on race? How so?
 How do you feel about the fact that any member of
your community experiences what you just saw and
heard?
What happens to one of us
happens to all of us.
WE ARE ALL DEVELOPED OR DIMINISHED
WHEN OUR CULTURE TREATS ANY ONE OF
ITS CHILDREN IN A DEROGATORY MANNER.
What is social justice?
A VISION OF SOCIETY IN WHICH
DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES IS EQUITABLE
AND ALL MEMBERS ARE PHYSICALLY AND
PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE AND SECURE.
WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE BOTH SELFDETERMINING AND INTERDEPENDENT.
IT INVOLVES SOCIAL ACTORS WHO HAVE A
SENSE OF THEIR OWN AGENCY AS WELL AS A
SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD
AND WITH OTHERS AND SOCIETY AS A
WHOLE.
Does empathy lead you to
action?
“IN GERMANY, THEY CAME FIRST FOR THE COMMUNISTS,
AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A COMMUNIST.
AND THEN THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS, AND I
DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A TRADE UNIONIST.
AND THEN THEY CAME FOR THE JEWS, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK
UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A JEW.
AND THEN . . .
THEY CAME FOR ME . . .
AND BY THAT TIME THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT TO SPEAK
UP."
Towards Ally Consciousness
 How do allies learn?
 How do allies respond?
 How do allies intervene?
What is an Ally?
A MEMBER OF THE DOMINANT GROUP WHO
REJECTS THE DOMINANT IDEOLOGY AND
TAKES ACTION AGAINST OPPRESSION OUT
OF A BELIEF THAT ELIMINATING
OPPRESSION WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE.
Consider the stories you’ve
heard today.
EITHER IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH
EACH OTHER OR WHEN YOU HEARD THE
VOICES OF SOME STUDENTS OF COLOR AT
UVM.
WHAT WOULD AN ALLY DO IF THEY WERE
PRESENT?
You can be an ally to underrepresented groups at UVM.
REPORTING VS. SUPPORTING
REPORTING BIAS INCIDENTS.
•A F F I R M A T I V E A C T I O N
•D E A N O F S T U D E N T S
•P O L I C E S E R V I C E S
Develop your awareness of your
own experience.
SEEK TO UNDERSTAND HOW POWER AND
PRIVILEGE ARE AT PLAY IN YOUR LIFE.
CONSIDER STEPPING OUTSIDE OF YOUR
COMFORT ZONE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HE
DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT IS UVM.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WAYS TO SUPPORT
DIVERSE MEMBERS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
BY OBSERVING, ASKING QUESTIONS, AND
EDUCATING YOURSELF.