The UCLA faculty recently voted in favor of a requirement that mandates students to take a course on diversity in order to fulfill graduation requirements. According to the article: "Under the requirement, students will be required to earn at least a C in
a course that 'substantially addresses racial, ethnic, gender,
socioeconomic, sexual orientation, religious or other types of
diversity.' Currently more than 200 courses, in a range of disciplines,
qualify, and more courses are expected to be created over time."
Proponents of the requirement rally that diversity education is important because of globalization, while opponents criticize that it could make it difficult to graduate and could cause a "ghettoization effect". While I agree that diversity education is important and stand behind their decision, I do agree that most students will likely take the class they feel most comfortable in, thus diluting the ultimate goal of the requirement. You can read the full story here.
I wonder how many students will also challenge themselves with this. Diluting will happen with people either way with or without the class and same with not having it. But will there be more students who face check their current diversity beliefs if given a full class opportunity? I believe there will be, but maybe not the whopping majority. It's a process so if they see that institutions are implementing this and jobs are facing trouble with this, it is only strategic to learn how to work with other people who are different from you. It has both the economic, social, and academic incentives to be on board as a student looking for a job.
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