Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to contextualize the challenges that the office of multicultural affairs staff at one state university experienced while moving to virtual learning formats. This study seeks to offer four specific recommendations and best practices for both multicultural affairs offices/centers and higher education institutions, in general, to ensure that students who utilize these virtual format spaces will continue to develop a sense of belonging within the institution. The author historicizes the formation of Black cultural centers and their development into multicultural affairs, tracks the public recognition of the essential importance of these centers and diversity and inclusion programming, and outlines the issues and problems the OMA staff faced in virtually providing a continued and ongoing sense of belonging for diverse students and staff. Higher education institutions can use these recommendations to inform the future of virtual multicultural affairs offices.
TopBackground
Black students at Historically White Institutions (HWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) during the Civil Rights Era of the 1960s and 1970s played a significant role in the development of ethnic cultural centers through student activism (Biondi, 2012; Rogers, 2012). This integral time of activism on campuses is known as the Black Campus Movement (Rogers, 2012). Jones and Reddick (2017) posited that activism has been a key tool that students have used in the past that “called attention to institutional and societal power structures that reinforce inequity” (p. 205). Since the Black Campus Movement, college campuses across the United States of America have made efforts to diversify their institutions (Curette, 2016). This review of relevant literature will cover two areas that are important to the objectives of this chapter: (a) “diversity” on campus and (b) student activism during the Black Campus Movement and the development of ethnic cultural centers and multicultural affairs offices and/or centers. The author then presents the conceptual framework for change management. After the completion of the literature review, the discussion shifts to identifying the specific issues or problems the OMA staff faced as a team transitioning to virtual learning.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Belonging: The belief that someone feels a part of a community.
Inclusion: Ensuring all members of the community have equitable access to resources, have a voice in decision making processes, and access to equal opportunities. This especially applies to those from historically marginalized backgrounds.
Diversity: Being composed of different elements. This can include race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, faith, socio-economic status, sex, ability status, veterans status, diversity of thought, etc.
Collaboration: Partnering with other entities or departments to maximize resources and student learning for programming efforts.
Racial Unrest: The uprising of racial groups against systems that have historically oppressed them.
Black: A term used to describe members of the African diaspora, regardless of national origin.
Support Programming: Events created to provide care for students experiencing emotional distress.