The facts: Diversity week is a week of events exposing the discrimination facing groups to the student body at N.C. State.

Our opinion: This week should not be a week of guilt or mere awareness, but rather one that incites action to potentially change how these groups are viewed and treated.

  The Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity and the Department of Multicultural Student Affairs have organized a series of events to spread awareness throughout the University, better known as Diversity Week. While this week spreads the necessary awareness of inequality and oppression, the series of events falls short for their objective. The week’s events range from Arts N.C. State-sponsored Rent, the GLBT rally and the Tunnel of Oppression. The Tunnel of Oppression allows students to witness what other groups experience so they might better understand the issues at hand. These types of events are informative to students and help spread knowledge and awareness; however, the actions should move toward propelling change toward such discrimination and inequality. The events are fine, but have room for improvement by providing alternative ways to convey their message. An open forum can provide students with a safe place to converse about the issues of diversity. Students from groups being discriminated against can share their experiences with others. By allowing students to listen to their peers, they can and will become more tolerant of the issues. The Tunnel of Oppression represents a large-scale symbolic act to demonstrate the relevance and importance of these discrimination issues. However, more of these symbolic acts could be taken around campus to reach a broader audience of students. Aside from the symbolism and awareness, community service events could play a giant role in opening the conversation. Since minorities are a large portion of those who could benefit from community service, these types of events would not only be about spreading awareness, but doing so in a proactive approach. While these offices are doing their best at making this week successful, the students are responsible for its success.  Students must witness these events and participate in order to understand the issues and allow them to change. By reaching out to the student body with this series of events, these offices are able to strengthen their events and validate the issues so we may work toward changing them. However, the first step is an open mind. Help support diversity at N.C. State and our community by attending these events, and then maybe we can move in a direction that will eventually lead to changing the circumstances.