Ethnic student groups at UT

This article is the first in a two part series examining the importance of ethnic student groups and how they play into the overall goals of diversity at UT.

A diverse community plays a role in student life here at UT where there are more than 18 ethnic student groups on campus. Several of these groups such as the American Muslim Association, the Filipino American Association, Korean Student Union, Persian Student Organization and many more are likely to be unheard of but are still active in their own way on campus.

Organizations such as the Black Student Union (BSU), Latino Student Union (LSU), African-Peoples Association and the Japanese Student Union maintain a larger presence than others – but why do these groups exist and what do they do? .

The mission of groups like Black Nursing Students (BNS) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) bring a more clear purpose to their existence as they bring together members' ethnicity as well as their academic and career goals.

Because many of these ethnic organizations foster more than just being a social group to the students here at UT, these groups have become more extended for their members: a family or a place where one can gain personal growth or even create their own image amongst those that look just like them.

One advantage is that membership in one of these social groups may lead to a greater interest in cross-cultural contacts and bring a greater sense of bonding and belonging to this place that many of us call home.

On the other hand, these groups seem to be working against diversity by segregating students into group activities based on race.

A 2004 case study on ethnic identity on college campuses done by Harvard University raised many more questions. The study, called "Ethnic Enclaves and the Dynamics of Social Identity on the College

Campus: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" claimed that membership in any student group where members are ethnically ubiquitous can lead to "an increased sense of ethnic victimization and a decreased sense of common identity and social inclusiveness."

Earlier this week, I had had the pleasure of meeting with several members of both BSU and LSU to discuss the ethos of their groups with them.

Among other questions, I pondered if these ethnic groups create a sense of isolation and segregation between students on campus or if they foster a healthy social identity.

Melanie Munoz, president of LSU, explained the group's mission and how that particular group caters to students that come from all different cultural backgrounds, not just those of Latino descent.

"The mission of LSU is to engage the Latino students academically and socially and to not only educate ourselves about our culture but to educate everyone on campus as well," says Munoz.

Culture is the main factor in why ethnic organizations are becoming more and more active on campus. Many groups hold events to educate students about heritage and why academics are very important.

"We hold events especially during Hispanic Heritage Month to showcase what are culture is about and teaching about the different backgrounds such as Mexican, Puerto Rican and Black. This semester, we had our scholarship dance last weekend that raised almost $3,000 for Hispanic students," Munoz said.

Many students are discouraged when it comes to being involved with organizations that hold an ethnic name in front of it because they simply believe that it is just for that specific group of individuals.

The aforementioned Harvard case study suggests that those students that support a multicultural perspective and are involved in ethnically oriented student organizations are more likely to enhance rather than reduce the intensity levels of interethnic bias and conflict. So, the real question is whether these groups are aiding in a multicultural perspective, instead of a more narrow singular cultural perspective.

One of the most frequently asked questions that most ethnic groups on campus may get is: "Can anyone of any race, ethnicity and background join?"

Members of both BSU and LSU were very assuring that anyone can join their organization despite their race or ethnic background.

"We are Latino-based – but everything is open, we have all types of members, white, black, and Hispanic. We encourage our members to be very multicultural," Munoz said.

BSU Chief of Staff Victoria Delly spoke proudly about BSU and what the group has to offer and that they too are willing to accept students of every ethnicity.

When I spoke to her, Delly was prepared herself for last night's executive board elections.

"The main thing that sets us apart is our skin color but our values are the same. And this is for all minorities, all," she said.

President Selia Gonzales and Academic Chair Maricruz Vielma of the Latina Sorority Sigma Lambda Gamma also said if an individual meets the group's academic requirements and plans to discuss their heritage, then they have the opportunity to join the organization regardless of their ethnicity.

Anthony McCurry, President of the Latino fraternity Sigma Lambda Gamma says that their organization is for all students that come from various ethnicities and backgrounds as long as they meet the requirement.

"LSU is my family, but we try to become one with other organizations," Vielma said.

Although the case study shows the negative aspects of how most ethnic organizations on a college campus can be destructive to the growth of a cross-cultural community, at UT there is a sense of togetherness.

Many of these groups collaborate together to uphold a diverse community by accepting members of all walks of life.

In a recent update, Victoria Delly and Tera McDonald won the election last night as president and vice president of BSU.