Diverse Lehigh: A Preview
By: Benjamin Mumma
Among the actions taken by the Council for Equality and Community (CEC) thus far, one of the most ground-breaking is the faculty development seminar scheduled to start in Spring 2009. According to the CEC, this “Social Justice Leadership and Service Learning” seminar will help make faculty members more understanding. Most crucially, it will end the inherent bias that many Lehigh classes have against certain groups of people. The seminar promises to “guide participants through the process of understanding the diversity of individuals in their classes and how to design effective instruction that is responsive to all students’ prior experiences and unique learning needs.” It will also make sure faculty “become more aware of their own racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, cultural identities and the power and privilege that comes with them,” and teach them to “incorporate field-specific diversity topics” into their classes.
Along with the commitment to develop more diversity-related classes and possible requirements for those classes, there are big changes in store for Lehigh University. It means that Lehigh will finally become a place where anyone can come and learn, instead of a select few. Lehigh simply won’t be the same in the future. Of the six courses here, one of these is an actual course being offered this semester. The rest will come soon to relieve the course catalog of its racist and sexist offerings.
MATH 29: Diversity Calculus
Diversity Calculus was designed to remove the blatant pro-Asian bias seen in other Math courses. In order to change this, Math 29 focuses on qualitative rather than quantitative analysis. The removal of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ answers from Calculus has provided a more level playing-field that has allowed people of every ethnicity to succeed. In understanding how variables work and how they make people feel, Asians, Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics have found a qualitative understanding of Calculus that is valuable beyond the classroom. This integrated and more human approach has already shown countless students the power of numbers and variables. Let it do the same for you!
CHEM 34: Racial Stoichiometry
Racial Stoichiometry looks to replace introductory Chemistry with a dual-focused look at Chemistry of the 21st Century. The first half of this course will focus on the traditional role of elements in every substance that is in existence today. The second half of this course will focus on the exciting new field of Racial Stoichiometry. This exciting new field looks to apply such topics as Stoichiometry into diversity-sensitive issues. This allows researchers to find the appropriate mixtures of straight and gay; White and Black; Asian and Hispanic in a truly diverse group setting. Current research is also working on a nomenclature system for children born to two people who are even just a little different.
IE 189: Diversity Engineering
Traditionally, the Industrial Engineering department has handled topics considered ‘imaginary’ or ‘too soft’ for all other engineers. However, the topic of IE 189 is Diversity Engineering. It is a touchy subject and truly does require soft handling. Diversity Engineering isn’t about “manufacturing” diversity – that would be insensitive. Rather, DivE is about ensuring that acceptable diversity is found. Class work includes applying optimization techniques to diversity opportunities and measuring techniques used to evaluate the level of bigotry of a given person based on his or her cell phone.
ARTS 95: Racializing Whiteness
Within the dominant White society of the United States, conversations about race generally focus on the race(s) of “people of color.” This seminar, offered in an intensive weekend format, is centered on the study of race and racism in the United States through the lens of Whiteness and White privilege/power. What does it mean to be “White”? How does White privilege operate and is there anything that can be done about it? Through readings, interactive lectures, film screenings, discussions, and self-explorative exercises, this seminar will explore the complex interplay of race, power and privilege on both systemic and individual levels. Join us as we begin this important and transformative journey.
ACCT 153: Racial Accounting
While the system used to record monetary transactions is obviously important, so too is the ability to account for “diversity transactions.” Racial Accounting is the study of the methods in place to measure, record, and account for diversity in a group. Racial Accounting will also go back and look at the history of diversity, and the methods used for placing people in a category. Later in the semester, the recording of “diversity transactions” such as Michael Jackson’s will be studied. Accounting of extremely popular individuals from mixed racial backgrounds such as Tiger Woods and Barack Obama will be covered in Accounting 155.
COMM 161: Compassionate Communications
Compassionate Communications is an exciting new course which looks to transform the level of discourse at Lehigh University. The goal of this class is to teach students to “speak diversely.” In doing this, students will learn to make sure that they never offend anyone when they talk. Special emphasis is placed on discovery and correction of common phrases which are actually racist, sexist, or offensive to a particular group in ways most people can’t even detect. Further emphasis is placed on how to handle situations that may especially encourage improper language. Memorization of a prohibited word list is required.
