The Faculty Committed to an Inclusive Campus (FCIC) will hold its march for diversity on Wednesday despite Texas A&M Student Government Association withdrawing its support for the march.
“We (the SGA) still support the diversity on campus,” said John Mathews, student services chair for the SGA. “Obviously, the conflict is in how to (make the campus more diverse).”
Last Wednesday, the SGA passed the “Support for Diversity Bill” which severed SGA and FCIC ties after the SGA found that the FCICopenly supported using race as a factor in admissions.
“The fact that we withdrew our support (for the rally) was in light of questions that were being raised about our partnership with an organization that has controversial positions like FCIC does,” said Matt Josefy, a senior accounting major and student body president. “We never thought the FCICwas intentionally deceiving us.”
Harris M. Berger, associate professor of music and performance studies and FCICmember, said the main purpose of the rally is to draw attention to the large number of people on campus who do support diversity.
Among those who do support diversity is the current administration, said Larry Oliver, a professor of English and member of the FCIC, which has been “more proactive than any other administration.”
“I think the (Young Conservatives of Texas’ November 2003) affirmative action bake sale did a lot of damage to (A&M’s) public image,” Oliver said.
“We’d like to send a counter-image so that students, particularly minority students, don’t think this University has a hostile attitude.”
The office of the president is one of more than 30 organizations that agreed to co-sponsor the march.
“Dr. Anderson is speaking at the rally,” Oliver said. “It belies the notion that there’s a fence between the administration and the FCIC – we’re hardly at war with the administration.”
Aside from Anderson’s remarks, there will be information tables set up by Rudder Fountain Plaza to help provide information on diversity and affirmative action.
Joseph O. Jewell, assistant professor of sociology and a member of the FCIC, said many of his students had strong opinions for or against affirmative action, but didn’t know what exactly it was.
“If (students) support diversity, they should come out (to the event),” Jewell said. “If they’re trying to make up their minds, they should come out and learn it’s an opportunity to have civilized dialogue.”
Josefy said despite the recent legislation, the SGA still supports efforts for increasing diversity on campus.
“A lot of people are with us in spirit,” Oliver said. “How many will actually get out there and walk is the question.”
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