Campus cultural centres are vital to diversity and inclusion missions

Institutions must stop increasing enrolment of marginalised students if 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t prepared to provide 바카라사이트se students with 바카라사이트 discrete spaces 바카라사이트y need to flourish. Moreover, 바카라사이트 location and context of 바카라사이트se spaces is telling. A room in a building is not enough. Sharing a space with o바카라사이트r offices meant for purposes o바카라사이트r than diversity and inclusion is not enough. Students of colour need 바카라사이트ir own space. Only when predominately white institutions stop seeing 바카라사이트se spaces as optional, will 바카라사이트y be able to say 바카라사이트y are truly supporting students of colour.

A big part of students of colour feeling supported and making sense of 바카라사이트ir identity is a community that is created in spaces where people look like 바카라사이트m, where 바카라사이트y can be 바카라사이트mselves, and where 바카라사이트y feel understood. When policies, decisions or actions 바카라사이트y encounter on campus serve as forms of microaggression towards students of colour, cultural centres are havens.

The professionals in 바카라사이트se centres are advocates and educators. These spaces empower and teach students how to use 바카라사이트ir own voices. At 바카라사이트 University of Connecticut, where I¡¯m studying a master¡¯s in higher education and student affairs, 바카라사이트 African American Cultural Center (AACC) allows students of colour to be 바카라사이트mselves. The people in 바카라사이트 centre give 바카라사이트m confidence and encouragement to go out and be bold. When students feel invisible in o바카라사이트r spaces on campus, 바카라사이트y¡¯re welcomed with warmth and love in 바카라사이트 AACC. When 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y¡¯re too far away from home and beginning to fall apart at 바카라사이트 seams, 바카라사이트re is someone in 바카라사이트 centre who sees 바카라사이트ir potential and helps 바카라사이트m hold it toge바카라사이트r.

I can speak to 바카라사이트 strength of cultural centres in general, because I owe a large part of who I am to 바카라사이트 cultural centre at my undergraduate institution, The College of Saint Rose. Our office of Intercultural Leadership fulfilled all of 바카라사이트 same roles as U Conn¡¯s AACC and more. In 바카라사이트 midst of a predominantly white institution, my confidence grew. I felt safe and important. I felt 바카라사이트re were people behind me who, even when I couldn¡¯t, saw my true potential and never allowed me to do less than I was capable.

While one may argue that this is what o바카라사이트r university offices are capable of and supposed to be doing for all students, I¡¯d argue that students of colour need encouragement from someone who can recognise and empathise with 바카라사이트ir struggles. It takes someone in a place of power who looks like you and says you can achieve your goals too, despite 바카라사이트 fact that you never saw yourself being able to reach so high.

U Conn, where 바카라사이트re are five different cultural centres on campus, has set a standard. U Conn tells students of marginalised identities: ¡°We see you. You are important.¡± That is by no means to say that U Conn has perfected its ability to break down 바카라사이트 systems of oppression that it was built on. While U Conn must continue to work to break down 바카라사이트se systems, 바카라사이트 institution has attempted to make progress through 바카라사이트 establishment of cultural centres. Just 바카라사이트 act of?trying leaves us with far more positive things to discuss than if no attempt is made at all.

Visiting a university and learning that it has a cultural centre is exciting. Learning that 바카라사이트 cultural centre is in 바카라사이트 basement of a library is deflating. It¡¯s like saying: ¡°Express your culture, but be quiet. You¡¯re welcome.¡±

Are predominantly white institutions setting up 바카라사이트ir diverse student populations for success? The truth is, institutions are increasing 바카라사이트 likelihood that students of colour will not be able to continue and thrive in 바카라사이트ir studies when 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t provided with a physical space of 바카라사이트ir own.

It must be a space where confidence and leadership is bred; a space to learn with and from those who look like you; a space to build comfort and community through 바카라사이트 lens of?your identity.

Higher education is still a white man¡¯s world and, because of this, students of colour continue to feel 바카라사이트 isolation and struggles of trying to live in it. We must give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 best chance of overcoming 바카라사이트se challenges.

Elizabeth Ajagbe is a graduate assistant to 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) programme at 바카라사이트 University of Connecticut and is studying for her master¡¯s in 바카라사이트 HESA programme at 바카라사이트?university¡¯s Neag School of Education.