Conference focuses on campus diversity

Participants in the "Living in, Living with, Diversity" conference, on Friday and Saturday in the Highsmith University Union, will take part in panel and round table discussions focusing on how to increase diversity at UNC Asheville.

"We want to find out more about what has been done, what is being done and what should be done for diversity at UNC Asheville," said Volker Frank, sociology chair and conference organizer. "This conference gives us a platform for conversation and clarification on issues related to diversity."

Among the groups to participate are the Student Government Association, the Hispanic student organization HOLA, and UNCA's literature department.

"Our goal is to establish an open dialogue between all the participants of the conference," Frank said.

Frank, who moved to the United States from Germany, came up with the idea of holding the conference, the first of its kind.

"I came here 13 years ago," Frank said. "UNCA is a very diverse campus in some respects, and in others it is not. Diversity is a subject many people here talk a lot about, so I saw the possibility and also the need for an event like this conference."

Throughout the conference, student groups exhibit posters and displays in the Pinnacle Room in Highsmith. Among the groups to contribute posters is the International Student Association.

"I think we are definitely one of the most diverse groups on this campus," said ISA member Leslie Smith. "Therefore, participating in that conference in any way was a good way to show that international students are present and involved in the campus."

UNCA's size affected Frank's decision to organize the conference.

"UNCA is a small campus, so we can make this conference a campus-wide event," Frank said. "But UNCA is also big enough to successfully back the conference intellectually - so many different groups and individuals are participating."

One panel discussion, taking place on Saturday, "A View from American Literature" is presented by teachers from the literature and language department.

"Even though the focus of our conference is narrowed down to the campus community, we still want to have a comparative approach," Frank said.

Keynote speaker Nancy Barteló speaks Friday at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall. A reception will follow her presentation, "From Commitment to Action: A Journey of Challenge and Collaboration in Diversity Work."

The conference closes with a salsa party and dance lessons for beginners in Alumni Hall on Saturday at 7 p.m.

As a liberal arts institution, UNCA is a magnet for diversity in many regards, according to Smith. Nonetheless, expectations and reality differ somewhat.

"Demographically, I don't think that UNC Asheville is very diverse, but I believe that most UNCA students are really open-minded and tolerant regarding other cultures," Smith said.

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