Requirement must be approved

The struggle for a diversity requirement in general education
courses can come to a successful conclusion this quarter. It is
currently in the final stage preceding implementation, and the
Academic Senate has circulated a ballot among all faculty regarding
approval of the student and faculty requirements.

Passage of this requirement is vitally necessary for UCLA to
provide its students with a balanced education and ensure its
status as a world-class university.

For the past 17 years, UCLA students have been fighting for a
requirement mandating that students take GE courses in areas
dealing with race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality and the
struggles of countries and regions traditionally overlooked in our
education.

UCLA is the only University of California campus without such a
requirement to date, and many private universities have such
requirements as well. Students have played a major role in the
ongoing struggle. Until this past spring, their campaigns came
scintillatingly close to success, only to be derailed at the last
moment.

But in May 2004, concerned UCLA students ““ along with
leaders of major student organizations and the Undergraduate
Students Association Council ““ set up tents on the lawn of
Schoenberg Quad. They sought to educate fellow students about this
requirement and to urge the Academic Senate Executive Board to
promise approval of the proposed change.

This struggle resulted in an agreement to develop and implement
a requirement affecting all students entering as freshmen in fall
2005 and after. Since then, the Diversity Requirement Task Force
has completed the necessary paperwork, and the requirement is ready
for implementation.

The decision is now in the hands of faculty.

Immediate approval of this requirement is crucial. The absence
of this requirement has caused an entire generation of UCLA
students to be educationally shortchanged. Living in a globalized,
diverse environment such as ours today requires knowledge of other
cultures for true awareness and success.

At UCLA, far too many students have graduated without such an
understanding. A diversity requirement will finally ensure that
this aspect of UCLA students’ education is not
overlooked.

Several misconceptions must also be clarified in order for
students and faculty to have an accurate picture of this proposed
alteration to GE requirements.

First, the diversity requirement is not in any way addressing
the racial and ethnic composition of the UCLA community. Such
practices, commonly known as affirmative action, were outlawed in
California state institutions by the passage of Proposition 209 in
1996.

Also, there will be no additional GE classes required of
students if this change is approved. The academic burden on
students is not raised in any way; the total number of GE courses
will remain the same.

Lastly, some have mentioned their concerns over department and
faculty budgets, but passage of the current proposal will not in
any way alter current department and program funding.

The onus is now on faculty to recognize the urgency of this
requirement and to take prompt action. UCLA, as one of the top
institutions of higher learning, cannot afford to ignore this
opportunity to make this positive change in students’
education that is long overdue.

Serrano is a fourth-year geography student. Those with
questions regarding the diversity requirement are welcome to
contact the Academic Affairs commission in 310 Kerckhoff
Hall.