{"id":117,"date":"2014-08-25T03:19:34","date_gmt":"2014-08-25T03:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/collegesuccess1x1\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=117"},"modified":"2015-06-19T01:53:19","modified_gmt":"2015-06-19T01:53:19","slug":"9-2-living-with-diversity","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/chapter\/9-2-living-with-diversity\/","title":{"raw":"Living with Diversity","rendered":"Living with Diversity"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_n01\" class=\"im_learning_objectives im_editable im_block\">\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\r\n<h3>LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h3>\r\nBy the end of this section, you will be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Define diversity and explain the benefits of a diverse college campus for all students.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>List ten or more ways in which different groups of people can have significant differences, experiences, and perspectives.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Explain why all college students are more successful academically in a diverse environment and list several additional benefits of diversity for all students.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Describe the valuable characteristics of \u201cnontraditional\u201d older college students.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Explain what students can do to foster multiculturalism and celebrate diversity on campus. For students who have few experiences with diversity in the past, outline steps that can be taken to gain cultural sensitivity and a multicultural outlook.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Describe how instructors help create a positive, inclusive learning environment in the classroom.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch03_s01_n01\" class=\"im_learning_objectives im_editable im_block\">\u00a0Ours is a very diverse society\u2014and increasingly so. Already in many parts of the country, non-Hispanic whites comprise less than 50 percent of the population, and by 2020 an estimated one in three Americans will be a person of color, as will be about half of all college students. But \u201cdiversity\u201d means much more than a variety of racial and ethnic differences. As we\u2019ll use the term here, <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">diversity<\/span><\/span> refers to the great variety of human characteristics\u2014ways that we are different even as we are all human and share more similarities than differences. These differences are an essential part of what enriches humanity.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe\u2019ll look first at some of the ways that people differ and explore the benefits of diversity for our society generally and for the college experience. While we should all celebrate diversity, at the same time we need to acknowledge past issues that grew from misunderstandings of such differences and work together to bring change where needed.\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">What Diversity Really Means<\/h2>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-597\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves-300x241.jpg\" alt=\"A collection of fall leaves\" width=\"300\" height=\"241\" \/><\/a>Differences among people may involve where a person was born and raised, the person\u2019s family and cultural group, factual differences in personal identity, and chosen differences in significant beliefs. Some diversity is primarily cultural (involving shared beliefs and behaviors), other diversity may be biological (race, age, gender), and some diversity is defined in personal terms (sexual orientation, religion). Diversity generally involves things that may significantly affect some people\u2019s perceptions of others\u2014not just any way people happen to be different. For example, having different tastes in music, movies, or books is not what we usually refer to as diversity.\r\n\r\nWhen discussing diversity, it is often difficult to avoid seeming to generalize about different types of people\u2014and such generalizations can seem similar to dangerous <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">stereotypes<\/span><\/span>. The following descriptions are meant only to suggest that individuals are different from other individuals in many possible ways and that we can all learn things from people whose ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, backgrounds, experiences, and behaviors are different from our own. This is a primary reason college admissions departments frequently seek diversity in the student body. Following are various aspects of diversity:\r\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s01_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of race.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Race<\/span><\/span> refers to what we generally think of as biological differences and is often defined by what some think of as skin color. Such perceptions are often at least as much social as they are biological.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of ethnicity.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Ethnicity<\/span><\/span> is a cultural distinction that is different from race. An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common identity and a perceived cultural heritage that often involves shared ways of speaking and behaving, religion, traditions, and other traits. The term \u201cethnic\u201d also refers to such a group that is a minority within the larger society. Race and ethnicity are sometimes interrelated but not automatically so.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of cultural background.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Culture<\/span><\/span>, like ethnicity, refers to shared characteristics, language, beliefs, behaviors, and identity. We are all influenced by our culture to some extent. While ethnic groups are typically smaller groups within a larger society, the larger society itself is often called the \u201cdominant culture.\u201d The term is often used rather loosely to refer to any group with identifiable shared characteristics.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of educational background.<\/strong> Colleges do not use a cookie-cutter approach to admit only students with identical academic skills. Diversity of educational background helps ensure a free flow of ideas and challenges those who might become set in their ways.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of geography.<\/strong> People from different places within the United States or the world often have a range of differences in ideas, attitudes, and behaviors.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of socioeconomic background.<\/strong> People\u2019s identities are influenced by how they grow up, and part of that background often involves socioeconomic factors. Socioeconomic diversity can contribute a wide variety of ideas and attitudes.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">gender roles<\/span><\/span><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">.<\/strong> Women have virtually all professional and social roles, including those once dominated by men, and men have taken on many roles, such as raising a child, that were formerly occupied mostly by women. These changing roles have brought diverse new ideas and attitudes to college campuses.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of age.<\/strong> While younger students attending college immediately after high school are generally within the same age range, older students returning to school bring a diversity of age. Because they often have broader life experiences, many older students bring different ideas and attitudes to the campus.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of sexual orientation.<\/strong> Gays and lesbians make up a significant percentage of people in American society and students on college campuses. Exposure to this diversity helps others overcome stereotypes and become more accepting of human differences.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of religion.<\/strong> For many people, religion is not just a Sunday morning practice but a larger spiritual force that infuses their lives. Religion helps shape different ways of thinking and behaving, and thus diversity of religion brings a wider benefit of diversity to college.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of political views.<\/strong> A diversity of political views helps broaden the level of discourse on campuses concerning current events and the roles of government and leadership at all levels. College students are frequently concerned about issues such as environmentalism and civil rights and can help bring about change.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of physical ability.<\/strong> Some students have athletic talents. Some students have physical disabilities. Physical differences among students brings yet another kind of diversity to colleges\u2014a diversity that both widens opportunities for a college education and also helps all students better understand how people relate to the world in physical as well as intellectual ways.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of extracurricular abilities.<\/strong> As you remember from your college applications, colleges ask about what you do outside of class\u2014clubs, activities, abilities in music and the arts, and so on. A student body with diverse interests and skills benefits all students by helping make the college experience full and enriching at all levels.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThese are just some of the types of diversity you are likely to encounter on college campuses and in our society generally.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">The Benefits of Diversity<\/h2>\r\nThe goal of many college admissions departments is to attract diverse students from a broad range of backgrounds involving different cultural, socioeconomic, age, and other factors\u2014everything in the preceding list. But why is diversity so important? There are many reasons:\r\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Experiencing diversity at college prepares students for the diversity they will encounter the rest of their lives.<\/strong> Learning to understand and accept people different from ourselves is very important in our world. While many high school students may not have met or gotten to know well many people with different backgrounds, this often changes in college. Success in one\u2019s career and future social life also requires understanding people in new ways and interacting with new skills. Experiencing diversity in college assists in this process.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Students learn better in a diverse educational setting.<\/strong> Encountering new concepts, values, and behaviors leads to thinking in deeper, more complex, and more creative ways, rather than furthering past ideas and attitudes. Students who experience the most racial and ethnic diversity in their classes are more engaged in active thinking processes and develop more intellectual and academic skills (and have higher grade point averages) than others with limited experience of diversity.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Attention to diversity leads to a broader range of teaching methods, which benefits the learning process for all students.<\/strong> Just as people are different in diverse ways, people from different backgrounds and experiences learn in different ways. College teaching has expanded to include many new teaching techniques. All students gain when instructors make the effort to address the diverse learning needs of all students.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Experiencing diversity on campus is beneficial for both minority and majority students.<\/strong> Students have more fulfilling social relationships and report more satisfaction and involvement with their college experience. Studies show <em class=\"im_emphasis\">all<\/em> students on campus gain from diversity programs. All the social and intellectual benefits of diversity cited in this list hold true for all students.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity experiences help break the patterns of segregation and prejudice that have characterized American history.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Discrimination<\/span><\/span> against others\u2014whether by race, gender, age, sexual orientation, or anything else\u2014is rooted in ignorance and sometimes fear of people who are different. Getting to know people who are different is the first step in accepting those differences, furthering the goal of a society free of all forms of prejudice and the unfair treatment of people.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Students of a traditional college age are in an ideal stage of development for forming healthy attitudes about diversity.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-599\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Framed snowflakes in a collage\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a>Younger students may not yet have reached a point at which they can fully understand and accept very different ideas and behaviors in others. The college years are a time of growth and maturation intellectually, socially, and emotionally, and a sustained experience of diversity is an opportunity to heighten this process.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Experiencing diversity makes us all better citizens in our democracy.<\/strong> When people can better understand and consider the ideas and perspectives of others, they are better equipped to participate meaningfully in our society. Democratic government depends on shared values of equality and the public good. An attitude of \u201cus versus them,\u201d in contrast, does not further the public good or advance democratic government. Studies have shown that college graduates with a good experience of diversity generally maintain patterns of openness and inclusivity in their future lives.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity enhances self-awareness.<\/strong> We gain insights into our own thought processes, life experiences, and values as we learn from people whose backgrounds and experiences are different from our own.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWhile all the benefits described have been demonstrated repeatedly on campuses all across the country in study after study, and while admissions and retention programs on virtually all campuses promote and celebrate diversity, some problems still remain. Society changes only slowly, and sadly, many students in some areas\u2014including gay and lesbian students, students with disabilities, and many minority students\u2014still feel marginalized in the dominant culture of their campuses. Even in a country that elected an African American president, racism exists in many places. Gays and lesbians are still fighting for equal rights under the law and acceptance everywhere. Women still earn less than men in the same jobs. Thus society as a whole, and colleges in particular, need to continue to work to destroy old stereotypes and achieve a full acceptance of our human differences.\r\n\r\n<span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Multiculturalism<\/span><\/span> is <em class=\"im_emphasis\">not<\/em> political correctness. We\u2019ve all heard jokes about \u201cpolitical correctness,\u201d which suggests that we do or say certain things not because they are right but because we\u2019re expected to pay lip service to them. Unfortunately, some people think of colleges\u2019 diversity programs as just the politically correct thing to do. Use your critical thinking skills if you hear such statements. In the world of higher education, truth is discovered through investigation and research\u2014and research has shown repeatedly the value of diversity as well as programs designed to promote diversity.\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02_n01\" class=\"im_callout im_editable im_block\">\r\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Older \u201cNontraditional\u201d Students and Diversity<\/h3>\r\nSometimes overlooked among the types of diversity on most college campuses are older students, often called <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">nontraditional students<\/span><\/span>, who are returning to education usually after working a number of years. While many college students are younger and enroll in college immediately after high school, these older students help bring a wider range of diversity to campuses and deserve special attention for the benefits they bring for all students. As a group, older students often share certain characteristics that bring unique value to the college experience overall. Older students often\r\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02_l02\" class=\"im_itemizedlist\">\r\n\t<li>have well-established identities and broader roles and responsibilities on which to base their thinking;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>more fully represent the local community and its values;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>have greater emotional independence and self-reliance;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>have well-developed problem-solving, self-directing, and decision-making skills;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>can share important life lessons and insights not found in textbooks;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>have relationships and experience with a greater variety of people;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>can be positive role models for younger students with less experience and maturity.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nIn many ways, these \u201cnontraditional\u201d students benefit the campus as a whole and contribute in meaningful ways to the educational process. Both instructors and \u201ctraditional\u201d students gain when older students share their ideas and feelings in class discussions, study groups, and all forms of social interaction.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Accepting and Celebrating Diversity and Working for Change<\/h2>\r\nMore than anything, multiculturalism is an attitude. Multiculturalism involves accepting and respecting the ideas, feelings, behaviors, and experiences of people different from oneself\u2014all the forms of diversity described earlier. America is not actually a \u201cmelting pot\u201d in the sense that people from diverse backgrounds somehow all become the same. America has always included a great diversity of ideas, attitudes, and behaviors. For example, the constitutional separation of church and state, a fundamental principle present since early days in the United States, guarantees that people of all religion have the same freedoms and rights for worship and religious behavior. People of diverse religious backgrounds are not expected to \u201cmelt\u201d together into one religion. Other laws guarantee the equal rights of all people regardless of skin color, gender, age, and other differences\u2014including more recently, in some states, equality under the law for those with diverse sexual orientation. The United States does not even have an official national language\u2014and many government and other publications in various geographical areas are offered in a variety of languages as well. In short, America as a nation has always recognized the realities and benefits of diversity.\r\n\r\nColleges similarly make commitments to ensure they respect and value differences among people and promote a wide understanding of such differences. Most colleges now have formal diversity programs to help all students not only accept and understand differences among students of varied backgrounds but also celebrate the benefits for all.\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">What Students Can Do<\/h2>\r\nWhile diversity exists in most places, not everyone automatically understands differences among people and celebrates the value of those differences. Students who never think about diversity and who make no conscious effort to experience and understand others gain less than others who do. There are many ways you can experience the benefits of diversity on your college campus, however, beginning with your own attitudes and by taking steps to increase your experiences with diverse individuals.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Acknowledge your own uniqueness, for you are diverse, too.<\/strong> Diversity doesn\u2019t involve just other people. Consider that you may be just as different to other people as they are to you. Don\u2019t think of the other person as being the one who is different, that you are somehow the \u201cnorm.\u201d Your religion may seem just as odd to them as theirs does to you, and your clothing may seem just as strange looking to them as theirs is to you\u2014until you accept there is no one \u201cnormal\u201d or right way to be. Look at yourself in a mirror and consider why you look as you do. Why do you use the slang you <a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-600\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks-300x236.jpg\" alt=\"Children's wood blocks with arabic lettering\" width=\"214\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a>do with your friends? Why did you just have that type of food for breakfast? How is it that you prefer certain types of music? Read certain books? Talk about certain things? Much of this has to do with your cultural background\u2014so it makes sense that someone from another cultural or ethnic background is different in some ways. But both of you are also individuals with your own tastes, preferences, ideas, and attitudes\u2014making you unique. It\u2019s only when you realize your own uniqueness that you can begin to understand and respect the uniqueness of others, too.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Consider your own (possibly unconscious) stereotypes.<\/strong> A stereotype is a fixed, simplistic view of what people in a certain group are like. It is often the basis for prejudice and discrimination: behaving differently toward someone because you stereotype them in some way. Stereotypes are generally learned and emerge in the dominant culture\u2019s attitudes toward those from outside that dominant group. A stereotype may be explicitly racist and destructive, and it may also be a simplistic generalization applied to any group of people, even if intended to be flattering rather than negative. As you have read this chapter so far, did you find yourself thinking about any group of people, based on any kind of difference, and perhaps thinking in terms of stereotypes? If you walked into a party and saw many different kinds of people standing about, would you naturally avoid some and move toward others? Remember, we learn stereotypes from our cultural background\u2014so it\u2019s not a terrible thing to admit you have inherited some stereotypes. Thinking about them is a first step in breaking out of these irrational thought patterns.\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01_n01\" class=\"im_callout im_editable im_block\">\r\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Examples of Cultural Differences in Body Language<\/h3>\r\nWhile we should be careful not to stereotype individuals or whole cultures, it is important to be aware of potential differences among cultures when interacting with other people. For example, body language often has different meanings in different cultures. Understanding such differences can help you better understand your interaction with others. Here are a few examples:\r\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist\">\r\n\t<li>Some Americans clap their hands together to emphasize a point, while some French clap to end a conversation.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Many Americans cross their legs when seated and thus may point the bottom of their shoe toward another person; many Japanese find this gesture offensive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Many Americans may wave their index fingers at someone else to make a point, but this gesture is often offensive to Mexicans and Somali, who may use that gesture only for dogs.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>In America, men and women shake hands with each other, but in some other cultures, handshakes across genders are not acceptable.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>In America, eye contact is generally considered polite and a sign of interest, whereas in many Asian cultures, people show their respect for others by bowing their head slightly and consider steady eye contact aggressive.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01_n02\" class=\"im_exercises im_editable im_block\">\r\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Activity: Challenge Your Thinking<\/h3>\r\nRead each of the following scenarios quickly and respond immediately without stopping to think. There are no right or wrong answers.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Scenario 1.<\/strong> You are walking home down a dark sidewalk when ahead you see three people standing around. Something about the way they are hanging out makes you a little frightened to walk past them.\r\n\r\nBe honest with yourself: what did you just imagine these people looked like?\r\n\r\nWhy do think you might have associated this particular mental picture with the emotion of feeling frightened?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Scenario 2.<\/strong> In a caf\u00e9 on campus, you see a student from another country sitting alone\u2014someone you know casually from a class\u2014and you walk over and are just about to ask if you can join him, when two other students also from his country appear and sit down with him. You hesitate.\r\n\r\nWould you have hesitated if this person had the same cultural background as you? What makes this situation different?\r\n\r\nAs you hesitate, you overhear them conversing in a language other than English.\r\n\r\nBe honest with yourself: how does that make you feel now?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Scenario 3.<\/strong> A couple you know invites you to join them and one of their friends, whom you have not met, on a \u201cdouble date\u201d\u2014a movie and dinner after. When you meet them outside the theater, you see that their friend, your date, is of a race different from your own.\r\n\r\nAre you surprised or shocked? What is your first reaction?\r\n\r\nDo you anticipate any more difficulty making conversation with your date than with anyone else whom you have just met?\r\n\r\nShould your friends have told you in advance? Why or why not?\r\n\r\nIf they had told you, would that have made any difference? Explain.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em class=\"im_emphasis\">Now think for a minute about how you responded in these scenarios<\/em>. Did your mental image in the first scenario involve a negative stereotype? What images in the media or society might have contributed to that response? The second and third scenarios involve simple situations in which you couldn\u2019t help but note some difference between you and another person. What might you feel in such situations in real life? Again, there is no \u201cright\u201d answer, and an awareness of differences is normal and natural even if it may cause some discomfort at first. On the other hand, if you have had significant experiences with diverse others, you might have read these scenarios and simply wondered, \u201cSo what? What\u2019s the big deal?\u201d <em class=\"im_emphasis\">It\u2019s worthwhile thinking about what that means<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Do not try to ignore differences among people.<\/strong> Some people try so hard to avoid stereotyping that they go to the other extreme and try to avoid seeing any differences at all among people. But as we have seen throughout this chapter, people <em class=\"im_emphasis\">are<\/em> different in many ways, and we should accept that if we are to experience the benefits of diversity.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Don\u2019t apply any group generalizations to individuals.<\/strong> As an extension of not stereotyping any group, also don\u2019t think of any individual person in terms of group characteristics. People are individuals first, members of a group second, and any given generalization simply may not apply to an individual. Be open minded and treat everyone with respect as an individual with his or her own ideas, attitudes, and preferences.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Develop cultural sensitivity for communication.<\/strong> Realize that your words may not mean quite the same thing in different cultural contexts or to individuals from different backgrounds. This is particularly true of slang words, which you should generally avoid until you are sure the other person will know what you mean. Never try to use slang or expressions you think are common in the cultural group of the person you are speaking with. Similarly, since body language often varies among different cultures, avoid strong gestures and expressions until the responses of the other person signify he or she will not misinterpret the messages sent by your body language.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Take advantage of campus opportunities to increase your cultural awareness.<\/strong> Your college likely has multiculturalism courses or workshops you can sign up for. Special events, cultural fairs and celebrations, concerts, and other programs are held frequently on most campuses. There may also be opportunities to participate in group travel to other countries or regions of cultural diversity.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Take the initiative in social interactions.<\/strong> Many students just naturally hang out with other students they are most like\u2014that almost seems to be part of human nature. Even when we\u2019re open minded and want to learn about others different from ourselves, it often seems easier and more comfortable to interact with others of the same age, cultural group, and so on. If we don\u2019t make a small effort to meet others, however, we miss a great opportunity to learn and broaden our horizons. Next time you\u2019re looking around the classroom or dorm for someone to ask about a class you missed or to study together for a test or group project, choose someone different from you in some way. Making friends with others of different backgrounds is often one of the most fulfilling experiences of college students.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Work through conflicts as in any other interaction.<\/strong> Conflicts simply occur among people, whether of the same or different background. If you are afraid of making a mistake when interacting with someone from a different background, you might avoid interaction altogether\u2014and thus miss the benefits of diversity. Nothing risked, nothing gained. If you are sincere and respect the other, there is less risk of a misunderstanding occurring. If conflict does occur, work to resolve it as you would any other tension with another person, as described earlier.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Take a Stand against Prejudice and Hate<\/h2>\r\nUnfortunately prejudice and hate still exist in America, even on college campuses. In addition to racial prejudice, some people are also prejudiced against women, people with disabilities, older adults, gays and lesbians\u2014virtually all groups that can be characterized as \u201cdifferent.\u201d All campuses have policies against all forms of prejudice and discriminatory behaviors. But it is not enough for only college administrators to fight prejudice and hate\u2014this is a responsibility for all good citizens who take seriously the shared American value of equality for all people. So what can you as a college student do?\r\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s02_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\"><a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-601\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Group of young adults laying on a lawn\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a>Decide that it does matter.<\/strong> Prejudice threatens us all, not just the particular group being discriminated against in a specific incident. Don\u2019t stand on the sidelines or think it\u2019s up to the people who may be victimized by prejudice or hate to do something about it. We can all do something.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Talk with others.<\/strong> Communication has great value on campuses. Let others know how you feel about any acts of prejudice or hatred that you witness. The more everyone openly condemns such behavior, the less likely it is to reappear in the future. This applies even if you hear another student telling a racist joke or putting down the opposite sex\u2014speak up and tell the person you find such statements offensive. You don\u2019t want that person to think you agree with them. Speaking up can be difficult to do, but it can be done tactfully. People can and do learn what is acceptable in a diverse environment.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Report incidents you observe.<\/strong> If you happen to see someone spray-painting a hateful slogan, for example, be a good citizen and report it to the appropriate campus office or the police.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Support student groups working for change.<\/strong> America has a great tradition of college students banding together to help solve social problems. Show your support for groups and activities that celebrate diversity and condemn prejudice. Even if you are a shy, quiet person, your attendance at a parade or gathering lends support. Or you can write a letter to the editor in a student newspaper, help hand out leaflets for an upcoming rally, or put up posters on campus. Once you become aware of such student activities on campus, you\u2019ll find many ways you can help take a stand.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Celebrate diversity.<\/strong> In many ways, you can learn more about diversity through campus programs and activities. The more all students participate, the closer the campus will come to being free of prejudice and hate. Be a role model in how you act and what you say in relation to diversity, and you may have more effect on others than you realize.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s04\" class=\"im_section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Dealing with Prejudice<\/h2>\r\nIf you yourself experience prejudice or discrimination related to your race or ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or any other aspect of diversity, don\u2019t just try to ignore it or accept it as something that cannot be changed. As discussed earlier, college students can do much to minimize intolerance on campus. Many overt forms of discrimination are frankly illegal and against college policies. You owe it to yourself, first and foremost, to report it to the appropriate college authority.\r\n\r\nYou can also attack prejudice in other ways. Join a campus organization that works to reduce prejudice or start a new group and discuss ways you can confront the problem and work for a solution. Seek solidarity with other groups. Organize positive celebrations and events to promote understanding. Write an article for a campus publication explaining the values of diversity and condemning intolerance.\r\n\r\nWhat if you are directly confronted by an individual or group making racist or other discriminatory remarks? In an emotionally charged situation, rational dialogue may be difficult or impossible, and a shouting match or name-calling seldom is productive. If the person may have made an offensive remark inadvertently or because of a misunderstanding, then you may be able to calmly explain the problem with what they said or did. Hopefully the person will apologize and learn from the experience. But if the person made the remark or acted that way intentionally, confronting this negative person directly may be difficult and not have a positive outcome. Most important, take care that the situation does not escalate in the direction of violence. Reporting the incident instead to college authorities may better serve the larger purpose of working toward harmony and tolerance.\r\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s04_n01\" class=\"im_exercises im_editable im_block\">\r\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Journal Entry<\/h3>\r\nIf you are in the dominant cultural group on your campus, write a paragraph describing values you share with your cultural group. Then list things that students with a different background may have difficulty understanding about your group. If your racial, ethnic, or cultural background is different from the dominant cultural group on your campus, write a paragraph describing how students in the dominant culture seem to differ from your own culture.\r\n\r\nLook back at what you just wrote. Did you focus on characteristics that seem either positive or negative? Might there be any stereotypes creeping into your thinking?\r\n\r\nWrite a second paragraph focusing on yourself as a unique individual, not a part of a group. How would others benefit from getting to know you better?\r\n<div id=\"post-355\" class=\"post-355 chapter type-chapter status-publish hentry type-1\">\r\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<div class=\"im_section\">\r\n<div id=\"mclean-ch03_s01_s02_n01\" class=\"im_key_takeaways im_editable im_block\">\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\r\n<h3>KEY TAKEAWAYs<\/h3>\r\n<section>\r\n<div data-type=\"note\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Diversity refers to a great variety of human characteristics, and ways in which people differ.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Diversity in the college environment has many benefits for all students, faculty, and others. Students learn more in a diverse setting, are better prepared for the future, and contribute more fully in positive ways to society.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Nontraditional students bring many unique characteristics to the college environment that help enrich all students\u2019 social and educational experiences.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Multiculturalism involves respecting the ideas, feelings, behaviors, and experiences different from oneself in any way. Colleges promote both diversity in the student body and multiculturalism among all students.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>As an individual, each of us can gain the benefits of diversity as we challenge our own stereotypes, understand and celebrate differences in others, and learn to interact well with others different from ourselves. Take advantage of campus opportunities to increase your cultural awareness and to form social relationships with diverse others.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Although we would hope that all college campuses would be free of hate and discrimination, it can become necessary to take a stand against prejudice.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"im_title\"><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\r\n<h3>Checkpoint EXERCISES<\/h3>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>List as many types of diversity as you can think of.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Write a description of someone who is of a different race from yourself but who may not be different ethnically.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>List several characteristics of <em class=\"im_emphasis\">your own<\/em> cultural background that may be different from the cultural background of some others on your campus.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>For each of the following statements about diversity, circle T for true or F for false:\r\n<div class=\"im_informaltable\">\r\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>T<\/td>\r\n<td>F<\/td>\r\n<td>A diverse educational environment is primarily good for students from minority groups.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>T<\/td>\r\n<td>F<\/td>\r\n<td>Students of traditional college age are usually already too old to be open to new ideas and attitudes learned from others with diverse backgrounds.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>T<\/td>\r\n<td>F<\/td>\r\n<td>We gain insights into ourselves when we learn from others who are different from ourselves.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>T<\/td>\r\n<td>F<\/td>\r\n<td>You can better understand an individual from a cultural group other than your own if you apply generalizations about that other culture to the person.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>T<\/td>\r\n<td>F<\/td>\r\n<td>The best way to avoid a conflict that may arise from cultural differences is to interact only politely and in superficial ways with people who seem different from yourself.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Is it a cultural observation or a stereotype to say, for example, that Mexicans are more relaxed about time commitments than Americans? (Think a minute before answering. How would you justify and explain your answer if challenged? Could both answers be right in some way?)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>List at least three ways you may be able to increase your cultural awareness and understanding of diversity on your campus.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"im_section\">\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_n01\" class=\"im_learning_objectives im_editable im_block\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\n<h3>LEARNING OBJECTIVES<\/h3>\n<p>By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Define diversity and explain the benefits of a diverse college campus for all students.<\/li>\n<li>List ten or more ways in which different groups of people can have significant differences, experiences, and perspectives.<\/li>\n<li>Explain why all college students are more successful academically in a diverse environment and list several additional benefits of diversity for all students.<\/li>\n<li>Describe the valuable characteristics of \u201cnontraditional\u201d older college students.<\/li>\n<li>Explain what students can do to foster multiculturalism and celebrate diversity on campus. For students who have few experiences with diversity in the past, outline steps that can be taken to gain cultural sensitivity and a multicultural outlook.<\/li>\n<li>Describe how instructors help create a positive, inclusive learning environment in the classroom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<div id=\"mclean-ch03_s01_n01\" class=\"im_learning_objectives im_editable im_block\">\u00a0Ours is a very diverse society\u2014and increasingly so. Already in many parts of the country, non-Hispanic whites comprise less than 50 percent of the population, and by 2020 an estimated one in three Americans will be a person of color, as will be about half of all college students. But \u201cdiversity\u201d means much more than a variety of racial and ethnic differences. As we\u2019ll use the term here, <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">diversity<\/span><\/span> refers to the great variety of human characteristics\u2014ways that we are different even as we are all human and share more similarities than differences. These differences are an essential part of what enriches humanity.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>We\u2019ll look first at some of the ways that people differ and explore the benefits of diversity for our society generally and for the college experience. While we should all celebrate diversity, at the same time we need to acknowledge past issues that grew from misunderstandings of such differences and work together to bring change where needed.<\/p>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">What Diversity Really Means<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-597\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves-300x241.jpg\" alt=\"A collection of fall leaves\" width=\"300\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves-300x241.jpg 300w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves-65x52.jpg 65w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves-225x181.jpg 225w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves-350x281.jpg 350w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/leaves.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Differences among people may involve where a person was born and raised, the person\u2019s family and cultural group, factual differences in personal identity, and chosen differences in significant beliefs. Some diversity is primarily cultural (involving shared beliefs and behaviors), other diversity may be biological (race, age, gender), and some diversity is defined in personal terms (sexual orientation, religion). Diversity generally involves things that may significantly affect some people\u2019s perceptions of others\u2014not just any way people happen to be different. For example, having different tastes in music, movies, or books is not what we usually refer to as diversity.<\/p>\n<p>When discussing diversity, it is often difficult to avoid seeming to generalize about different types of people\u2014and such generalizations can seem similar to dangerous <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">stereotypes<\/span><\/span>. The following descriptions are meant only to suggest that individuals are different from other individuals in many possible ways and that we can all learn things from people whose ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, backgrounds, experiences, and behaviors are different from our own. This is a primary reason college admissions departments frequently seek diversity in the student body. Following are various aspects of diversity:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s01_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of race.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Race<\/span><\/span> refers to what we generally think of as biological differences and is often defined by what some think of as skin color. Such perceptions are often at least as much social as they are biological.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of ethnicity.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Ethnicity<\/span><\/span> is a cultural distinction that is different from race. An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common identity and a perceived cultural heritage that often involves shared ways of speaking and behaving, religion, traditions, and other traits. The term \u201cethnic\u201d also refers to such a group that is a minority within the larger society. Race and ethnicity are sometimes interrelated but not automatically so.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of cultural background.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Culture<\/span><\/span>, like ethnicity, refers to shared characteristics, language, beliefs, behaviors, and identity. We are all influenced by our culture to some extent. While ethnic groups are typically smaller groups within a larger society, the larger society itself is often called the \u201cdominant culture.\u201d The term is often used rather loosely to refer to any group with identifiable shared characteristics.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of educational background.<\/strong> Colleges do not use a cookie-cutter approach to admit only students with identical academic skills. Diversity of educational background helps ensure a free flow of ideas and challenges those who might become set in their ways.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of geography.<\/strong> People from different places within the United States or the world often have a range of differences in ideas, attitudes, and behaviors.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of socioeconomic background.<\/strong> People\u2019s identities are influenced by how they grow up, and part of that background often involves socioeconomic factors. Socioeconomic diversity can contribute a wide variety of ideas and attitudes.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">gender roles<\/span><\/span><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">.<\/strong> Women have virtually all professional and social roles, including those once dominated by men, and men have taken on many roles, such as raising a child, that were formerly occupied mostly by women. These changing roles have brought diverse new ideas and attitudes to college campuses.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of age.<\/strong> While younger students attending college immediately after high school are generally within the same age range, older students returning to school bring a diversity of age. Because they often have broader life experiences, many older students bring different ideas and attitudes to the campus.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of sexual orientation.<\/strong> Gays and lesbians make up a significant percentage of people in American society and students on college campuses. Exposure to this diversity helps others overcome stereotypes and become more accepting of human differences.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of religion.<\/strong> For many people, religion is not just a Sunday morning practice but a larger spiritual force that infuses their lives. Religion helps shape different ways of thinking and behaving, and thus diversity of religion brings a wider benefit of diversity to college.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of political views.<\/strong> A diversity of political views helps broaden the level of discourse on campuses concerning current events and the roles of government and leadership at all levels. College students are frequently concerned about issues such as environmentalism and civil rights and can help bring about change.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of physical ability.<\/strong> Some students have athletic talents. Some students have physical disabilities. Physical differences among students brings yet another kind of diversity to colleges\u2014a diversity that both widens opportunities for a college education and also helps all students better understand how people relate to the world in physical as well as intellectual ways.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity of extracurricular abilities.<\/strong> As you remember from your college applications, colleges ask about what you do outside of class\u2014clubs, activities, abilities in music and the arts, and so on. A student body with diverse interests and skills benefits all students by helping make the college experience full and enriching at all levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are just some of the types of diversity you are likely to encounter on college campuses and in our society generally.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">The Benefits of Diversity<\/h2>\n<p>The goal of many college admissions departments is to attract diverse students from a broad range of backgrounds involving different cultural, socioeconomic, age, and other factors\u2014everything in the preceding list. But why is diversity so important? There are many reasons:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Experiencing diversity at college prepares students for the diversity they will encounter the rest of their lives.<\/strong> Learning to understand and accept people different from ourselves is very important in our world. While many high school students may not have met or gotten to know well many people with different backgrounds, this often changes in college. Success in one\u2019s career and future social life also requires understanding people in new ways and interacting with new skills. Experiencing diversity in college assists in this process.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Students learn better in a diverse educational setting.<\/strong> Encountering new concepts, values, and behaviors leads to thinking in deeper, more complex, and more creative ways, rather than furthering past ideas and attitudes. Students who experience the most racial and ethnic diversity in their classes are more engaged in active thinking processes and develop more intellectual and academic skills (and have higher grade point averages) than others with limited experience of diversity.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Attention to diversity leads to a broader range of teaching methods, which benefits the learning process for all students.<\/strong> Just as people are different in diverse ways, people from different backgrounds and experiences learn in different ways. College teaching has expanded to include many new teaching techniques. All students gain when instructors make the effort to address the diverse learning needs of all students.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Experiencing diversity on campus is beneficial for both minority and majority students.<\/strong> Students have more fulfilling social relationships and report more satisfaction and involvement with their college experience. Studies show <em class=\"im_emphasis\">all<\/em> students on campus gain from diversity programs. All the social and intellectual benefits of diversity cited in this list hold true for all students.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity experiences help break the patterns of segregation and prejudice that have characterized American history.<\/strong> <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Discrimination<\/span><\/span> against others\u2014whether by race, gender, age, sexual orientation, or anything else\u2014is rooted in ignorance and sometimes fear of people who are different. Getting to know people who are different is the first step in accepting those differences, furthering the goal of a society free of all forms of prejudice and the unfair treatment of people.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Students of a traditional college age are in an ideal stage of development for forming healthy attitudes about diversity.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-599\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Framed snowflakes in a collage\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1-65x65.jpg 65w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1-225x225.jpg 225w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/snowflakes1.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Younger students may not yet have reached a point at which they can fully understand and accept very different ideas and behaviors in others. The college years are a time of growth and maturation intellectually, socially, and emotionally, and a sustained experience of diversity is an opportunity to heighten this process.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Experiencing diversity makes us all better citizens in our democracy.<\/strong> When people can better understand and consider the ideas and perspectives of others, they are better equipped to participate meaningfully in our society. Democratic government depends on shared values of equality and the public good. An attitude of \u201cus versus them,\u201d in contrast, does not further the public good or advance democratic government. Studies have shown that college graduates with a good experience of diversity generally maintain patterns of openness and inclusivity in their future lives.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Diversity enhances self-awareness.<\/strong> We gain insights into our own thought processes, life experiences, and values as we learn from people whose backgrounds and experiences are different from our own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While all the benefits described have been demonstrated repeatedly on campuses all across the country in study after study, and while admissions and retention programs on virtually all campuses promote and celebrate diversity, some problems still remain. Society changes only slowly, and sadly, many students in some areas\u2014including gay and lesbian students, students with disabilities, and many minority students\u2014still feel marginalized in the dominant culture of their campuses. Even in a country that elected an African American president, racism exists in many places. Gays and lesbians are still fighting for equal rights under the law and acceptance everywhere. Women still earn less than men in the same jobs. Thus society as a whole, and colleges in particular, need to continue to work to destroy old stereotypes and achieve a full acceptance of our human differences.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">Multiculturalism<\/span><\/span> is <em class=\"im_emphasis\">not<\/em> political correctness. We\u2019ve all heard jokes about \u201cpolitical correctness,\u201d which suggests that we do or say certain things not because they are right but because we\u2019re expected to pay lip service to them. Unfortunately, some people think of colleges\u2019 diversity programs as just the politically correct thing to do. Use your critical thinking skills if you hear such statements. In the world of higher education, truth is discovered through investigation and research\u2014and research has shown repeatedly the value of diversity as well as programs designed to promote diversity.<\/p>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02_n01\" class=\"im_callout im_editable im_block\">\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Older \u201cNontraditional\u201d Students and Diversity<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes overlooked among the types of diversity on most college campuses are older students, often called <span class=\"im_margin_term\"><span class=\"im_glossterm\">nontraditional students<\/span><\/span>, who are returning to education usually after working a number of years. While many college students are younger and enroll in college immediately after high school, these older students help bring a wider range of diversity to campuses and deserve special attention for the benefits they bring for all students. As a group, older students often share certain characteristics that bring unique value to the college experience overall. Older students often<\/p>\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s02_l02\" class=\"im_itemizedlist\">\n<li>have well-established identities and broader roles and responsibilities on which to base their thinking;<\/li>\n<li>more fully represent the local community and its values;<\/li>\n<li>have greater emotional independence and self-reliance;<\/li>\n<li>have well-developed problem-solving, self-directing, and decision-making skills;<\/li>\n<li>can share important life lessons and insights not found in textbooks;<\/li>\n<li>have relationships and experience with a greater variety of people;<\/li>\n<li>can be positive role models for younger students with less experience and maturity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In many ways, these \u201cnontraditional\u201d students benefit the campus as a whole and contribute in meaningful ways to the educational process. Both instructors and \u201ctraditional\u201d students gain when older students share their ideas and feelings in class discussions, study groups, and all forms of social interaction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Accepting and Celebrating Diversity and Working for Change<\/h2>\n<p>More than anything, multiculturalism is an attitude. Multiculturalism involves accepting and respecting the ideas, feelings, behaviors, and experiences of people different from oneself\u2014all the forms of diversity described earlier. America is not actually a \u201cmelting pot\u201d in the sense that people from diverse backgrounds somehow all become the same. America has always included a great diversity of ideas, attitudes, and behaviors. For example, the constitutional separation of church and state, a fundamental principle present since early days in the United States, guarantees that people of all religion have the same freedoms and rights for worship and religious behavior. People of diverse religious backgrounds are not expected to \u201cmelt\u201d together into one religion. Other laws guarantee the equal rights of all people regardless of skin color, gender, age, and other differences\u2014including more recently, in some states, equality under the law for those with diverse sexual orientation. The United States does not even have an official national language\u2014and many government and other publications in various geographical areas are offered in a variety of languages as well. In short, America as a nation has always recognized the realities and benefits of diversity.<\/p>\n<p>Colleges similarly make commitments to ensure they respect and value differences among people and promote a wide understanding of such differences. Most colleges now have formal diversity programs to help all students not only accept and understand differences among students of varied backgrounds but also celebrate the benefits for all.<\/p>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">What Students Can Do<\/h2>\n<p>While diversity exists in most places, not everyone automatically understands differences among people and celebrates the value of those differences. Students who never think about diversity and who make no conscious effort to experience and understand others gain less than others who do. There are many ways you can experience the benefits of diversity on your college campus, however, beginning with your own attitudes and by taking steps to increase your experiences with diverse individuals.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Acknowledge your own uniqueness, for you are diverse, too.<\/strong> Diversity doesn\u2019t involve just other people. Consider that you may be just as different to other people as they are to you. Don\u2019t think of the other person as being the one who is different, that you are somehow the \u201cnorm.\u201d Your religion may seem just as odd to them as theirs does to you, and your clothing may seem just as strange looking to them as theirs is to you\u2014until you accept there is no one \u201cnormal\u201d or right way to be. Look at yourself in a mirror and consider why you look as you do. Why do you use the slang you <a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-600\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks-300x236.jpg\" alt=\"Children's wood blocks with arabic lettering\" width=\"214\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks-300x236.jpg 300w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks-65x51.jpg 65w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks-225x177.jpg 225w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks-350x276.jpg 350w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/wood-blocks.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/a>do with your friends? Why did you just have that type of food for breakfast? How is it that you prefer certain types of music? Read certain books? Talk about certain things? Much of this has to do with your cultural background\u2014so it makes sense that someone from another cultural or ethnic background is different in some ways. But both of you are also individuals with your own tastes, preferences, ideas, and attitudes\u2014making you unique. It\u2019s only when you realize your own uniqueness that you can begin to understand and respect the uniqueness of others, too.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Consider your own (possibly unconscious) stereotypes.<\/strong> A stereotype is a fixed, simplistic view of what people in a certain group are like. It is often the basis for prejudice and discrimination: behaving differently toward someone because you stereotype them in some way. Stereotypes are generally learned and emerge in the dominant culture\u2019s attitudes toward those from outside that dominant group. A stereotype may be explicitly racist and destructive, and it may also be a simplistic generalization applied to any group of people, even if intended to be flattering rather than negative. As you have read this chapter so far, did you find yourself thinking about any group of people, based on any kind of difference, and perhaps thinking in terms of stereotypes? If you walked into a party and saw many different kinds of people standing about, would you naturally avoid some and move toward others? Remember, we learn stereotypes from our cultural background\u2014so it\u2019s not a terrible thing to admit you have inherited some stereotypes. Thinking about them is a first step in breaking out of these irrational thought patterns.<\/p>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01_n01\" class=\"im_callout im_editable im_block\">\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Examples of Cultural Differences in Body Language<\/h3>\n<p>While we should be careful not to stereotype individuals or whole cultures, it is important to be aware of potential differences among cultures when interacting with other people. For example, body language often has different meanings in different cultures. Understanding such differences can help you better understand your interaction with others. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist\">\n<li>Some Americans clap their hands together to emphasize a point, while some French clap to end a conversation.<\/li>\n<li>Many Americans cross their legs when seated and thus may point the bottom of their shoe toward another person; many Japanese find this gesture offensive.<\/li>\n<li>Many Americans may wave their index fingers at someone else to make a point, but this gesture is often offensive to Mexicans and Somali, who may use that gesture only for dogs.<\/li>\n<li>In America, men and women shake hands with each other, but in some other cultures, handshakes across genders are not acceptable.<\/li>\n<li>In America, eye contact is generally considered polite and a sign of interest, whereas in many Asian cultures, people show their respect for others by bowing their head slightly and consider steady eye contact aggressive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s01_n02\" class=\"im_exercises im_editable im_block\">\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Activity: Challenge Your Thinking<\/h3>\n<p>Read each of the following scenarios quickly and respond immediately without stopping to think. There are no right or wrong answers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Scenario 1.<\/strong> You are walking home down a dark sidewalk when ahead you see three people standing around. Something about the way they are hanging out makes you a little frightened to walk past them.<\/p>\n<p>Be honest with yourself: what did you just imagine these people looked like?<\/p>\n<p>Why do think you might have associated this particular mental picture with the emotion of feeling frightened?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Scenario 2.<\/strong> In a caf\u00e9 on campus, you see a student from another country sitting alone\u2014someone you know casually from a class\u2014and you walk over and are just about to ask if you can join him, when two other students also from his country appear and sit down with him. You hesitate.<\/p>\n<p>Would you have hesitated if this person had the same cultural background as you? What makes this situation different?<\/p>\n<p>As you hesitate, you overhear them conversing in a language other than English.<\/p>\n<p>Be honest with yourself: how does that make you feel now?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Scenario 3.<\/strong> A couple you know invites you to join them and one of their friends, whom you have not met, on a \u201cdouble date\u201d\u2014a movie and dinner after. When you meet them outside the theater, you see that their friend, your date, is of a race different from your own.<\/p>\n<p>Are you surprised or shocked? What is your first reaction?<\/p>\n<p>Do you anticipate any more difficulty making conversation with your date than with anyone else whom you have just met?<\/p>\n<p>Should your friends have told you in advance? Why or why not?<\/p>\n<p>If they had told you, would that have made any difference? Explain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em class=\"im_emphasis\">Now think for a minute about how you responded in these scenarios<\/em>. Did your mental image in the first scenario involve a negative stereotype? What images in the media or society might have contributed to that response? The second and third scenarios involve simple situations in which you couldn\u2019t help but note some difference between you and another person. What might you feel in such situations in real life? Again, there is no \u201cright\u201d answer, and an awareness of differences is normal and natural even if it may cause some discomfort at first. On the other hand, if you have had significant experiences with diverse others, you might have read these scenarios and simply wondered, \u201cSo what? What\u2019s the big deal?\u201d <em class=\"im_emphasis\">It\u2019s worthwhile thinking about what that means<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Do not try to ignore differences among people.<\/strong> Some people try so hard to avoid stereotyping that they go to the other extreme and try to avoid seeing any differences at all among people. But as we have seen throughout this chapter, people <em class=\"im_emphasis\">are<\/em> different in many ways, and we should accept that if we are to experience the benefits of diversity.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Don\u2019t apply any group generalizations to individuals.<\/strong> As an extension of not stereotyping any group, also don\u2019t think of any individual person in terms of group characteristics. People are individuals first, members of a group second, and any given generalization simply may not apply to an individual. Be open minded and treat everyone with respect as an individual with his or her own ideas, attitudes, and preferences.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Develop cultural sensitivity for communication.<\/strong> Realize that your words may not mean quite the same thing in different cultural contexts or to individuals from different backgrounds. This is particularly true of slang words, which you should generally avoid until you are sure the other person will know what you mean. Never try to use slang or expressions you think are common in the cultural group of the person you are speaking with. Similarly, since body language often varies among different cultures, avoid strong gestures and expressions until the responses of the other person signify he or she will not misinterpret the messages sent by your body language.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Take advantage of campus opportunities to increase your cultural awareness.<\/strong> Your college likely has multiculturalism courses or workshops you can sign up for. Special events, cultural fairs and celebrations, concerts, and other programs are held frequently on most campuses. There may also be opportunities to participate in group travel to other countries or regions of cultural diversity.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Take the initiative in social interactions.<\/strong> Many students just naturally hang out with other students they are most like\u2014that almost seems to be part of human nature. Even when we\u2019re open minded and want to learn about others different from ourselves, it often seems easier and more comfortable to interact with others of the same age, cultural group, and so on. If we don\u2019t make a small effort to meet others, however, we miss a great opportunity to learn and broaden our horizons. Next time you\u2019re looking around the classroom or dorm for someone to ask about a class you missed or to study together for a test or group project, choose someone different from you in some way. Making friends with others of different backgrounds is often one of the most fulfilling experiences of college students.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Work through conflicts as in any other interaction.<\/strong> Conflicts simply occur among people, whether of the same or different background. If you are afraid of making a mistake when interacting with someone from a different background, you might avoid interaction altogether\u2014and thus miss the benefits of diversity. Nothing risked, nothing gained. If you are sincere and respect the other, there is less risk of a misunderstanding occurring. If conflict does occur, work to resolve it as you would any other tension with another person, as described earlier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s02\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Take a Stand against Prejudice and Hate<\/h2>\n<p>Unfortunately prejudice and hate still exist in America, even on college campuses. In addition to racial prejudice, some people are also prejudiced against women, people with disabilities, older adults, gays and lesbians\u2014virtually all groups that can be characterized as \u201cdifferent.\u201d All campuses have policies against all forms of prejudice and discriminatory behaviors. But it is not enough for only college administrators to fight prejudice and hate\u2014this is a responsibility for all good citizens who take seriously the shared American value of equality for all people. So what can you as a college student do?<\/p>\n<ul id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s03_s02_l01\" class=\"im_itemizedlist im_editable im_block\">\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\"><a href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-601\" src=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Group of young adults laying on a lawn\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party-65x43.jpg 65w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party-225x150.jpg 225w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ivytech-collegesuccess2x48x111\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2216\/2015\/04\/lawn-party.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Decide that it does matter.<\/strong> Prejudice threatens us all, not just the particular group being discriminated against in a specific incident. Don\u2019t stand on the sidelines or think it\u2019s up to the people who may be victimized by prejudice or hate to do something about it. We can all do something.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Talk with others.<\/strong> Communication has great value on campuses. Let others know how you feel about any acts of prejudice or hatred that you witness. The more everyone openly condemns such behavior, the less likely it is to reappear in the future. This applies even if you hear another student telling a racist joke or putting down the opposite sex\u2014speak up and tell the person you find such statements offensive. You don\u2019t want that person to think you agree with them. Speaking up can be difficult to do, but it can be done tactfully. People can and do learn what is acceptable in a diverse environment.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Report incidents you observe.<\/strong> If you happen to see someone spray-painting a hateful slogan, for example, be a good citizen and report it to the appropriate campus office or the police.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Support student groups working for change.<\/strong> America has a great tradition of college students banding together to help solve social problems. Show your support for groups and activities that celebrate diversity and condemn prejudice. Even if you are a shy, quiet person, your attendance at a parade or gathering lends support. Or you can write a letter to the editor in a student newspaper, help hand out leaflets for an upcoming rally, or put up posters on campus. Once you become aware of such student activities on campus, you\u2019ll find many ways you can help take a stand.<\/li>\n<li><strong class=\"im_emphasis im_bold\">Celebrate diversity.<\/strong> In many ways, you can learn more about diversity through campus programs and activities. The more all students participate, the closer the campus will come to being free of prejudice and hate. Be a role model in how you act and what you say in relation to diversity, and you may have more effect on others than you realize.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s04\" class=\"im_section\">\n<h2 class=\"im_title im_editable im_block\">Dealing with Prejudice<\/h2>\n<p>If you yourself experience prejudice or discrimination related to your race or ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or any other aspect of diversity, don\u2019t just try to ignore it or accept it as something that cannot be changed. As discussed earlier, college students can do much to minimize intolerance on campus. Many overt forms of discrimination are frankly illegal and against college policies. You owe it to yourself, first and foremost, to report it to the appropriate college authority.<\/p>\n<p>You can also attack prejudice in other ways. Join a campus organization that works to reduce prejudice or start a new group and discuss ways you can confront the problem and work for a solution. Seek solidarity with other groups. Organize positive celebrations and events to promote understanding. Write an article for a campus publication explaining the values of diversity and condemning intolerance.<\/p>\n<p>What if you are directly confronted by an individual or group making racist or other discriminatory remarks? In an emotionally charged situation, rational dialogue may be difficult or impossible, and a shouting match or name-calling seldom is productive. If the person may have made an offensive remark inadvertently or because of a misunderstanding, then you may be able to calmly explain the problem with what they said or did. Hopefully the person will apologize and learn from the experience. But if the person made the remark or acted that way intentionally, confronting this negative person directly may be difficult and not have a positive outcome. Most important, take care that the situation does not escalate in the direction of violence. Reporting the incident instead to college authorities may better serve the larger purpose of working toward harmony and tolerance.<\/p>\n<div id=\"lochhaas-ch09_s02_s04_n01\" class=\"im_exercises im_editable im_block\">\n<h3 class=\"im_title\">Journal Entry<\/h3>\n<p>If you are in the dominant cultural group on your campus, write a paragraph describing values you share with your cultural group. Then list things that students with a different background may have difficulty understanding about your group. If your racial, ethnic, or cultural background is different from the dominant cultural group on your campus, write a paragraph describing how students in the dominant culture seem to differ from your own culture.<\/p>\n<p>Look back at what you just wrote. Did you focus on characteristics that seem either positive or negative? Might there be any stereotypes creeping into your thinking?<\/p>\n<p>Write a second paragraph focusing on yourself as a unique individual, not a part of a group. How would others benefit from getting to know you better?<\/p>\n<div id=\"post-355\" class=\"post-355 chapter type-chapter status-publish hentry type-1\">\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<div class=\"im_section\">\n<div id=\"mclean-ch03_s01_s02_n01\" class=\"im_key_takeaways im_editable im_block\">\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\n<h3>KEY TAKEAWAYs<\/h3>\n<section>\n<div data-type=\"note\">\n<ul>\n<li>Diversity refers to a great variety of human characteristics, and ways in which people differ.<\/li>\n<li>Diversity in the college environment has many benefits for all students, faculty, and others. Students learn more in a diverse setting, are better prepared for the future, and contribute more fully in positive ways to society.<\/li>\n<li>Nontraditional students bring many unique characteristics to the college environment that help enrich all students\u2019 social and educational experiences.<\/li>\n<li>Multiculturalism involves respecting the ideas, feelings, behaviors, and experiences different from oneself in any way. Colleges promote both diversity in the student body and multiculturalism among all students.<\/li>\n<li>As an individual, each of us can gain the benefits of diversity as we challenge our own stereotypes, understand and celebrate differences in others, and learn to interact well with others different from ourselves. Take advantage of campus opportunities to increase your cultural awareness and to form social relationships with diverse others.<\/li>\n<li>Although we would hope that all college campuses would be free of hate and discrimination, it can become necessary to take a stand against prejudice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"im_title\"><\/h3>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3>Checkpoint EXERCISES<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>List as many types of diversity as you can think of.<\/li>\n<li>Write a description of someone who is of a different race from yourself but who may not be different ethnically.<\/li>\n<li>List several characteristics of <em class=\"im_emphasis\">your own<\/em> cultural background that may be different from the cultural background of some others on your campus.<\/li>\n<li>For each of the following statements about diversity, circle T for true or F for false:\n<div class=\"im_informaltable\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\" style=\"border-spacing: 0px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>T<\/td>\n<td>F<\/td>\n<td>A diverse educational environment is primarily good for students from minority groups.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>T<\/td>\n<td>F<\/td>\n<td>Students of traditional college age are usually already too old to be open to new ideas and attitudes learned from others with diverse backgrounds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>T<\/td>\n<td>F<\/td>\n<td>We gain insights into ourselves when we learn from others who are different from ourselves.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>T<\/td>\n<td>F<\/td>\n<td>You can better understand an individual from a cultural group other than your own if you apply generalizations about that other culture to the person.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>T<\/td>\n<td>F<\/td>\n<td>The best way to avoid a conflict that may arise from cultural differences is to interact only politely and in superficial ways with people who seem different from yourself.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>Is it a cultural observation or a stereotype to say, for example, that Mexicans are more relaxed about time commitments than Americans? (Think a minute before answering. How would you justify and explain your answer if challenged? Could both answers be right in some way?)<\/li>\n<li>List at least three ways you may be able to increase your cultural awareness and understanding of diversity on your campus.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-117\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Success in College. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: anonymous. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/\">http:\/\/2012books.lardbucket.org\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of leaves. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: darwin Bell. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/ovchB\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/ovchB<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of snowflakes. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Alexey Kljatov. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/paCYy3\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/paCYy3<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of wooden blocks. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Dr. Bashi. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/paCYy3\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/paCYy3<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of students on lawn. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Les Roches International School of Hotel Management. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/fZ1PM3\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/fZ1PM3<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":9,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Success in 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