Diversity
Information
Packet
(Prototype)
Spring 2008
Diversity Associates
Curriculum Development Project
Submitted by:
Alys Caviness-Gober
Department of English
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
Diversity Associates Curriculum Development Project:
Prototype Diversity Information Packet
Submitted by: Alys Caviness-Gober
Project Rationale
Many Ball State University students, like many Americans, are ignorant of basic
historical facts about minority/diversity groups in the United States. Ignorance of
historic details correlates to an emotional disconnect: students are unable to connect
the cumulative effect of past events on modern social situations and issues. For
example, regarding slavery, many BSU students know neither basic slavery statistics
in the Americas nor slave-related legislation from colonial times through the modern
era that institutionalized racism and discrimination in the United States. Therefore,
BSU students cannot connect the cumulative effect of slavery and its aftermath on
modern social issues like slave reparations, on-going de facto and de jure
discrimination, and socio-economic inequality.
I became aware of this disconnect while teaching Introduction to Cultural
Anthropology and Global Human Diversity, both of which are Core Curriculum
courses with a range of students from all disciplines and grade levels. I have spoken
with other Core Curriculum diversity-focused instructors; we agree our students often
do not know basic historic facts about various diversity groups. If our students do not
know basic historical facts, then they will remain ignorant of correlative effects on
culture and society, like long-term systemic prejudice and discrimination that impacts
perception and treatment of African-Americans, Native-Americans, Muslims,
women, the disabled (physically or mentally disabled),
gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered (GLBT), and other minority groups in the United
States. This curriculum development project provides a prototype for a Diversity
Information Packet that can be presented to the BSU Provost with the suggestion that
BSU produce a Diversity Information Packet for dissemination to all incoming BSU
freshman (similar to the Freshman Connections’ Common Reader). The Diversity
Information Packet should include Timelines and Fact Sheets, brief “context” essays,
and Critical Thinking questions that focus on the some of the following areas: race,
ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual identity, and diverse religions. This prototype
Diversity Information Packet offers an example of the kind of information that can
help incoming freshman connect historical details to modern social issues like racism,
religious intolerance, and gender bias. A Diversity Information Packet will positively
impact all of BSU: it will enhance the University’s reputation as a diversity-focused
institution because it will reach all BSU students, regardless of their major academic
discipline.
I would like to thank the many BSU organizations and departments that responded to
this project. I would especially like to thank Dr. Charles Payne, Director of the
Diversity Policy Institute at Ball State University, and Dr. Sheron Fraser-Burgess,
Assistant Professor of Social Foundations of Education/Multicultural Education and
organizer of BSU’s Annual African Diaspora Conference. Without their support and
encouragement, this project would not have been possible. The prototype Diversity
Information Packet is the product of one author: this author bears sole responsibility
for all errors and omissions therein.