Within hours of the University of Idaho campus there are four of the largest Native American tribes in Idaho: Coeur d”Alene, Kootenai, Nez Perce and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.
Yet, as of the 2015 fall semester, only 1 percent of the undergraduate population at UI consisted of American Indian or Alaska Native students. The undergraduate population is 77 percent white.
If there are so many tribes close to UI, why are only 64 Native Americans studying here?
There is a Native American Student Center on campus, which provides a place for students to discuss their culture and struggles with students facing similar scenarios. But is this enough support for those students?
More ought to be done to make Native American students and all students of multicultural backgrounds feel more at home at UI. A large part of making multicultural students feel comfortable could be accomplished by increasing the diversity on campus.
However, UI has a unique problem. Idaho, more so than other states, isn”t very diverse overall, not just at the university. UI may have to continue to look beyond Idaho residents to create a more diverse campus.
Regardless of whether it has to do with age, ethnic background or gender, walking into a room as a minority student can be uncomfortable, especially in Northern Idaho.
Events celebrating and sharing the unique cultures of UI students are an important part of exposing the entire community to underrepresented cultures.
November is Native American Heritage Month, and many events are taking place in honor of it. A Native Art Auction will take place at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the Kibbie Dome Litehouse Center. There will also be a presentation on tribal economics and other events in the upcoming weeks.
Students should attend these events for Native American Heritage Month. Being exposed to different cultures is an important part of the learning experience. Because such a small portion of the undergraduate population is from non-white backgrounds, these events supplement the interaction with different cultures that more diverse campuses present daily.
Though these celebrations of different cultures are great, there is still a distinct lack of diversity at UI. Asian American and African American students each comprise 1 percent of the student body. Hispanic or Latino students comprise 9 percent and international students make up 5 percent.
Although scholarships are available for multicultural students, including the American Indian Education Foundation Challenge Grant, more needs to be done to encourage multicultural students to enroll at UI.
Education for prospective multicultural students and their families is important. For a prospective multicultural student looking at the demographic breakdown at UI, the numbers are likely discouraging.
UI needs to build a reputation of being a campus that embraces students of all ethnic backgrounds and is a safe place for everyone to complete their education. A more welcoming atmosphere would not only help promote diversity on campus, but would also enrich the college experience for all its students.
– KH