Thursday, January 21, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Class explores sensitivity issues
Students examine racial struggles diverse subjects
By Dan Curry Kansan staff writer
To join the Diversity Peer Education Team students need to know how to give workshops, learn about racial slurs and play tug-of-war.
Gloria Flores, program director of the Multicultural Resource Center, will instruct a pilot class, "Peer Training in Diversity and Multicultural Issues," that was not offered in the timetable, but will be given through the School of Social Welfare.
"It's important that students at the University of Kansas learn to have a sense of diversity in order to become more rounded students and to prepare for a world which is becoming more culturally
diverse" Flores said.
Exploring the history of racial slurs and playing tug-of-war are two of many activities that the Diversity Peer Education Team will use to explore sensitive issues concerning diversity.
Tug-of-war, for instance, represents the power struggle the country is going through. The people in the power are the majority, while other groups aren't, said Carol Best, Glen Ellyn, Ill., junior and co-chair of the team.
Students in her class will learn not only issues of diversity, but how to lead a discussion on a sensitive subject and handle difficult situations when they arise.
Only five students were enrolled for the class, but Flores would like to have ten to fifteen.
"We would like people to enroll so that it may be a permanent class,"she said.
Any undergraduate student may enroll in the class as an elective.
Once students have completed
the class, they may become members of the Diversity Peer Education Team.
Erika Nutt, a member of the team since it started two years ago, said that there has been an enormous growth in demand for presentations.
"We average two to three a week," Nutt, Wichita senior, said. "It increases every time we present."
Adrienne Rivers, associate professor of journalism, has invited the diversity team to visit her Broadcast Writing class for the past three semesters.
"I think that it went very well," she said. "Some of the things they say will provoke anger, but they know how to handle it. They are well-prepared."
Rivers said that her students seemed to better understand diversity issues when they hear their peers speak about them.
"My colleagues and I agree that it's important for students who will be creating images for the
PEER TRAINING
- The class meets Tuesdays from 2:30 - 2:50 p.m. at the Multicultural Resource Center in the MRC classroom.
- Students will need to get a special permission slip from MRC program director Gloria Flores to enroll in the class.
- For more information, call the MRC at 8644-350.
media to be able to relate to issues of diversity," Rivers said. "They might not have been faced with some of these issues.
She said that students often don't know what terms might be offensive to different minorities. She was surprised by how many students in her classes came from high schools of predominantly one race.
"For students to hear from peers about diversity issues makes them a little more understandable," she said.
Need some information?
Karen Boyde, Kansas City, Kan., junior, helps David Kun, Lawrence junior, fill out a form at the Information Fair yesterday. The Information Fair will be at the Kansas Union until 2 p.m. today.
Christina Neff/KANSAN
School of Business will offer degrees to students in Italy
Kansan staff writer
By Kristi Reimer
The University of Kansas School of Business is moving ahead on a plan to offer its graduate and undergraduate degrees in Asolo, Italy.
The Board of Regents last week granted approval to the University of Kansas to become the coordinator and degree-granting institution for the Consortium of Universities for International Business Studies in Italy. The University is a charter member of the consortium.
the business school program here with what students are doing over there," said Tim Shaffel, professor of business. "This opens a huge
"By doing this we hope to completely integrate
market to us. There is a huge demand for good business education in Eureone."
The program is available for students from the United States and overseas. Beginning in January 2000, all students participating in the consortium's B.S., M.S. and M.B.A. programs will graduate from the University.
Shaftel, who has taught in the Asolo program, emphasized that an international education benefited both U.S. and international students
"Some companies screen hiring on whether a student has been out of the country or not," Shaftel said. "Soon it will be almost a necessity."
The University has sent faculty and students to teach and study in Asolo since the mid-1980s.
With its role as coordinator and degree granter, the University will take over leadership of the consortium, said Kathy Rupp, associate director for academic affairs at the Board of Regents.
"An international degree fits in well with the mission statement of your school, which includes an international dimension," Rupp said. "In business, we are certainly becoming more global, practically by the minute. For KU to have a program abroad offers students the opportunity to prepare for that diverse global community."
The University will also approve all professors, course offerings and student applications involved in the program. Rupp said.
Students will pay tuition and room and board comparable to nonresident rates in Lawrence, and students and faculty will pay their own transportation costs to and from Asolo, a small, mountain community about an hour and a half from Venice.
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