DIVERSITY ISSUES WITHIN COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Diversity Issues within Community Colleges

Abstract

Community colleges contribute significantly towards the social and economic mobility of the American society. Community colleges are places of culture. People belonging to a diverse range of ethnicity, races, religions, social statuses and cultures take admissions to the community colleges and deem them as platforms that encourage cultural pluralism and diversity. While community colleges promote the need of a cultural mix within societies where each race is respected and given a legitimate right to receive rewards and burdens, the issues emerging out of this ethnicity and diversity in the educational sector, especially community colleges, raise some serious doubts on its applicability and effectiveness. This paper intends to identify the issues in community college settings that relate to racial and ethnic differences among students. A detailed insight to these issues will be provided in the course of this paper with possible recommendations and solutions in the end.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Discussion4

Conclusion12

Recommendations13

References16

Diversity Issues within Community Colleges

Introduction

Over the past thirty years, it has been observed that a large number of students belonging to different race, ethnicities, the poor and middle-class, and the working class students accessed the postsecondary education through the welcoming doors of “Community Colleges”. These colleges provide students with “open door” accessibility to education which the other colleges and universities may not appreciate on such a grand scale. Hence it provides them with an opportunity to acquire education and contribute towards their societal and national prosperity as productive citizens of the state. Despite this phenomenon, the question whether these community colleges really promote social mobility and cultural diversity of the minorities, remains a debatable topic.

Discussion

Since the rise of civil rights movement occurring between 1950 to 1980s, efforts are being constantly taken within the United States to abolish discrimination at universities and workplaces on the basis of sex, culture, race, religion and disability. While a general regard and promotion of diversity has been observed within the American society, the trend had not been welcomed by the community college students as such. A large number of African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, American born Asian students, immigrants and women have been given admissions to many community colleges. This appears to be a healthy trend whereas in fact, it is not. This has further complicated the situation within these colleges and has been observed to have serious repercussions. The campus climate is badly affected. These minority students feel unwanted and unwelcomed within the campus and have also reported to have experienced bias of all kinds (Cass, 1979).

The students of color seem to be most affected. They feel alienated and ignored in the company of whites where they are called names, be disrespected; their opinions are mostly devalued and their achievements go unrecognized. This hinders their development and discourages them from taking part in extracurricular activities. While their physical and mental energies are badly suppressed within such a setting, they often do not emerge out to be useful citizens and are not participative in state affairs after passing ...