In this special episode of Navigating Diversity, Krystoff Kissoon and student leader in diversity at ISU, Alma Jam, respond to a recent controversy over Boise State University's diversity programs.
On July 9, 2019, a group of 28 Republican state lawmakers, led by Rep. Barbara Ehardt, sent a letter to the incoming BSU President, Dr. Marlene Tromp, stating that the university's programs and celebrations for minority students are "antithetical to the Idaho way" and adds "unecessary costs" while tuition continues to rise. BSU students responded by organizing a rally in support of minority students at the Capitol.
Krystoff Kissoon and guest, Alma Jam, unpack this controversy by discussing why diversity is important in a higher-education context, what is the "Idaho way", why programs for minority students should not be scapegoated, and how those in any majority can better understand minorities.
Host: Krystoff Kissoon, kisskrys@isu.edu
Guest: Alma Jam, jamaima@isu.edu