About 51 percent of students disagree that Butler University is diverse,  according to results from a new survey by  Student Affairs.

About 37 percent somewhat disagreed that Butler is diverse, and 14 percent strongly disagreed with that statement.

The survey gauged Butler’s diversity and students’ perspective on campus atmosphere.

There were 527 students who participated in the poll. Seventy percent were women and 29 percent were men.

A fifth to a quarter of each class was represented, according to the study.

Student Government Association President-Elect Mike Keller said this is because people only think of diversity as involving race.

“Diversity is a broad definition,” Keller said. “It was intended for broader areas other than race.”

Dean of Student Life Irene Stevens oversees the committee responsible for assessing the data. She said there are a number of things the campus can improve upon.

“We need to diversify campus more through admissions, and then help individuals take advantage of cultural-related activities,” Stevens said. “When students get into the real world it’s a lot more diverse than Butler.”

Stevens said everyone has the ability to act as an ambassador for the university, which will help diversify campus.

“Students, faculty and staff are all involved in encouraging diversity,” Stevens said.

Keller said there are two areas responsible for addressing these issues: admissions and organizations on campus.

“Admissions can target more people from diverse backgrounds,” Keller said. “R.E.A.C.H. and SGA are responsible for highlighting different cultures, which comes from programming.”

Twenty-eight percent of respondents participated in diversity-related activities, which were labeled a main point in the survey’s conclusion.

Freshman pharmacy major Eric Chen said as a minority student he has not attended a “diversity-related” activity because he said it brings attention to students’ minority status.

“I think these activities make minorities feel uncomfortable,” Chen said. “The best way to make a minority student feel comfortable is to treat them as any other person.

“Minorities don’t need any preferential treatment.”

Stevens said the administration is meeting with SGA over the summer to address the findings. Focus groups will also be formed to further explore students’ perspectives, Stevens said.

Keller said the low participation in diversity-related activities is due to the target audience of R.E.A.C.H.’s programming.

“People assume diversity programming is only for minorities,” Keller said. “Next year we will try to market it to a broader audience.”

One of the areas of greatest improvement was the number of respondents who described the university as “welcoming.”

Eighty percent of respondents said Butler is “very welcoming,” which is a 6 percent improvement from 2009.

Stevens said this is due to what she described as the university’s “culture of respect.”

“We want to create a university that’s welcoming,” Stevens said. “We expect that from all of Butler University.”

Politically, the survey found most students to be moderates, followed by conservatives and liberals, with 43 percent, 30 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

Keller said it is SGA’s responsibility to encourage political discussion on campus.

“Campus is stronger when people are talking,” Keller said. “We need political discussion.”

Photo by Reid Bruner

Student Government Association and R.E.A.C.H. hosted their first-ever diversity summit last Friday in hopes of increasing awareness of diversity and stimulating conversation on campus.

Butler University administrators attended the event in hopes of gaining students’ perspectives on diversity.

The event included small group discussions about diversity, in which students were able to express what diversity means to them.

R.E.A.C.H. vice president UnoBlessed Coons said the event was a “test trial” to see how students feel about diversity.

“I was nervous on how the event would go, but we need to figure out how to properly facilitate discussions on a larger scale,” Coons said.

The event was successful and is what the campus needs more of, Coons said.

“I love having people share their thoughts on what they feel Butler is missing,” Coons said.

Valerie Davidson, director of diversity programming, delivered the event’s main speech, which touched on Butler’s unique racial history, her own experience as a black person on campus and ways to improve diversity.

Although an abolitionist founded the university, it has had a history of racial segregation and polarization, Davidson said.

“Growing up in the 1960s in Indianapolis, Butler was thought of as a school for wealthy, white students by the black community,” Davidson said. “There was an invisible barrier around campus.”

Butler hired Davidson in 1986, an event she described as “surreal.”

“I came to Butler to remove the invisible barrier that separated Butler from the black community,” Davidson said.

The campus was “isolated” in terms of diversity and there was “indifference” to the topic, Davidson said.

“It was a polarized community,” she said.

Diversity has improved on campus, but it is important to never become complacent, Davidson said.

“We need to communicate and connect on these issues,” she said. “We can break down barriers by celebrating heritage.”

Davidson said it is important for students to set the tone on campus and make diversity a priority. She complimented SGA for taking the initiative.

“We can improve diversity as a community,” Davidson said. “If students make it a priority, the administration will make it a priority as well.”

Davidson said diversity includes not only race but also other areas, such as religion, gender and socioeconomics.

“By increasing one type of diversity, other types of diversity will be amplified as well,” Davidson said.

SGA President-elect Mike Keller said diversity will be a priority for SGA next year and there is a need for diversity programming to be more inclusive.

“Diversity programming is not just for minorities and certain groups, but it is for all students,” Keller said. “Better programming will go a long way in increasing diversity on campus.”

Council on Presidential Affairs Chair Mike Tirman said creating a welcoming environment needs to be a goal of student government.

“The CPA is here for all students,” Tirman said. “We need to figure out how to make student government a more welcoming place.”

This was the first year for the summit, and SGA plans to have it annually, Coons said.

Student Government Association President-elect Mike Keller appointed UnoBlessed Coons to the vacant SGA vice president of diversity programming position.

Coons currently serves in that role.

Due to SGA rules, there was no eligible candidate for the position. Therefore Keller had to go through SGA assembly to open up the position to applicants.

Keller said there were four “qualified” applicants, but Coons was the best option.

R.E.A.C.H. has many challenges currently, and she has the ability to overcome these challenges,” Keller said.

Coons’ experience and knowledge of the job is why he chose her, Keller said.

“Uno has already had a trial-and-error period,” Keller said.

Due to the resignation of last year’s diversity vice president early in the school year, Coons wasn’t chosen until September.

This shortened her term and left her without a planning period during the summer, Keller said.

The lack of a planning period was the most difficult part of serving this year, Coons said.

“I didn’t want R.E.A.C.H. to do nothing,” Coons said, “so I took the challenge and stepped up.”

Giving Coons a full term to serve will greatly benefit R.E.A.C.H. and her ability to serve, Keller said.

“I would like to see what Uno can do with a full term,” Keller said.

After receiving applications, Keller and R.E.A.C.H. adviser Julie Pakenham interviewed the applicants, Keller said.

Pakenham said she gave Keller the pros and cons of each candidate and asked questions during the interview process.

“I have background information that a new SGA president would not have,” Pakenham said. “I’m here to give Mike tips on issues.”

Following the interview process, Keller said he and Pakenham collaborated and came to a consensus.

“It was ultimately Mike’s decision,” Pakenham said.

Keller said this appointment does not contradict his promise to bring new faces to SGA.

“The vast majority of the executive board is new,” Keller said. “It doesn’t hurt to have some previous experience. There are advantages of having some experience.”

The extended appointment process put R.E.A.C.H. behind schedule, Pakenham said.

“There’s a tight appointment time for SGA as it is, and this made it more difficult for R.E.A.C.H.,” Pakenham said. “There’s still enough time to get things lined up.”

R.E.A.C.H. will make it a priority to increase its prominence on campus, Coons said.

“Diversity is a challenging topic and can make people uncomfortable, but R.E.A.C.H. needs to make sure it is a large part of the student experience,” Coons said.

Keller said he and Coons have discussed the possibility of expanding the R.E.A.C.H. board as a way to strengthen R.E.A.C.H.’s presence.

Coons and Keller each said R.E.A.C.H. needs to be more inclusive.

“There is a special emphasis on marginalized minorities,” Coons said, “but R.E.A.C.H. is not only for them but for all students.” Keller said he agreed.

“We need to try and get a diverse group of members to appeal to a broad group of people,” Keller said.

Coons said she is happy to be serving during the next academic year.

“I’m excited about a lot of things,” Coons said, “summer and planning, finding new ways to celebrate diversity and having more conversations on diversity.”