Program stresses multiculturalism

Former San Antonio Mayor Harry Cisneros urged students Monday to branch out culturally and warned that the rapid growth of minorities in the country has led to an unjustified fear on the part of the white majority. Cisneros, who delivered the keynote address at a multicultural seminar, emphasized the importance of living together. He is a prominent Latino community leader who also helped convince David Robinson to play basketball for the San Antonio Spurs. The New Student Orientation program's aims included understanding the significance of the University's multicultural community and introducing students to the benefits of intercultural dialogue. President Sheldon Hackney delivered the opening remarks emphasizing the University's diversity and the importance of learning from other cultures. But United Minorities Council President Pamela Urueta responded and said the University was not as diverse as its brochures claim. "While Penn may have one of the largest number of minorities in the Ivy League, it is by no means as diverse as it should be," she added. "There is a pronounced dearth of minority representation in the student body, among the faculty and administration and within the curriculum." Urueta said 90.8 percent of faculty at the University is white, as opposed to 2.8 black, 4.9 Asian and 1.5 Latino. She said that similar student percentages also reflected a lack of diversity. The student body is 66 percent white, 22 percent Asian, 8 percent black, 3 percent Latino and less than 1 percent Native American, she said. In addition, Urueta lamented the lack of minority studies available to students and the "continuing derogatory actions and comments" to which they are subjected. Urueta noted that her speech was not intended to be accusatory, but that she wanted to "challenge people, their perceptions of Penn and their notions of right and wrong." After the speeches, students divided into smaller discussion groups, where they addressed multiculturalism and their expectations of the University life. Students were also asked to record their responses to case studies which dealt with racial stereotypes and homophobia. Wharton freshman Dan Pries said that the day was useful, but did not agree with some of the arguments presented. "I don't necessarily think that diversity should be one of the University's main goals," he said. "Instead, Penn should admit the best people and race shouldn't play any part in admission."