In the near future, incoming freshman will be required to take courses related to cultural diversity in order to graduate. This requirement will affect all universities in the UL System.
According to Larry Howell, this requirement will be in effect for Fall 2004, if an addendum can be added to that catalog.
Howell added that major requirements would have to be in the Bulletin. If an addendum cannot be added, the requirement would have to wait until Fall 2005 to be implemented. “I would be shocked if it (requirement) did not make it (Fall 2004 catalog),” Howell said.
The diversity requirement idea was developed by former SGA president, Alcie Maxwell. The idea came as a result of his experience in the classroom.
“I felt that many of my classes would be greatly enhanced if different perspectives were brought to seemingly traditional viewpoints of teaching classes,” Maxwell said. “Therefore, as a result of my personal experiences and some experiences of other students, I used the first summer (2002) of my presidency to see how other schools were infusing diversity themes into their core curricula.”
As a result of this, Maxwell focused on a customized plan for Nicholls and an overall diversity requirement for all eight universities included in the UL System.
Maxwell’s customized plan for Nicholls, which was included in the proposal to the UL System, was to introduce diversity subject matter to existing courses and to offer more courses in diversity in a student’s major.
Maxwell then had several meetings with the system’s SGA presidents and they decided on a six-hour diversity course requirement. Carroll Falcon, who is in charge of academic affairs within the UL System, initially approved this plan. Falcon then presented a proposal to Sally Clausen, president of the UL System.
Right now the Board of Supervisors is in the process of developing a system wide policy. Each of the universities was asked to come up with basic ideas they think should be part of the requirements for diversity, Howell said. Nicholls has already submitted these ideas.
But Nicholls is not the only university going through a diversity movement. The Association of American Colleges and Universities administered a survey to 543 colleges and universities from every region of the country. According to the results, 62 percent report that they either have a diversity requirement in place or they are in the process of developing one.
Of the schools with requirements, 58 percent require only one course, while 42 percent require two or more courses dealing with diversity.
Each baccalaureate graduate in the UL System will be required to complete up to six semester credit hours of diversity course work.
One of the requirements of the proposal was that “each university shall establish a committee of faculty and students that will review and approve courses nominated to satisfy the diversity requirement.”
Jaret Hubbell, SGA president, said he has just started working on this university wide Diversity Committee. Hubbell has a meeting with University president Stephen Hulbert soon, where this committee will be brought up.
All classes meeting the diversity requirement will be labeled with a “D” in the university catalog.