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OPINION - May 2005 Discrimination in not only illegal … it is immoral! It’s the basic truth that underlies our American democracy and our very way of life: all of us are created equal. And since we are created equal, every citizen deserves equal opportunity. That’s the promise of America. That’s the American Dream. That’s why my ancestors could arrive on the shores of America confident of a bright future. And it’s why this little lady from Baltimore could confidently seek a college presidency in what is still a male-dominated profession. Equal opportunity means that regardless of one’s skin color, religious affiliation, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, disability or socioeconomic status, the playing field is level. Unfortunately, American society in many respects is still dominated by fear. By no means is this unique to the 21st century. Every generation has been burdened by its own fear-mongerers – peddlers of hate who think our bedrock principle of equal opportunity applies only to those who look like them, and act and believe as they do. At various times in our nation, we have needlessly feared and/or discriminated against, Native Americans, African-Americans, Catholics, Jews, immigrants, the disabled, gays, and, of course, women. You don’t have to be a student of American history to know that when we are slow to extend equal opportunity to all our citizens, it is always fear of misunderstanding that rides the brake. Always. And if it’s fear or misunderstanding that rides the brake, then it’s education that accelerates equal opportunity for all. Our social environment is still far too saturated with fear, suspicion and mistrust. And when that’s the case, there can never be true equal opportunity. What we need, I believe, is a greater sense of personal responsibility. It’s government’s responsibility to pass laws, but it is not up to government to set the proper tone in out workplaces. It’s not up to solely the affirmative action officers. It is up to each and every one of us. It is up to each and every one of us to advance an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere that promotes fairness and equality for all. It is up to each and every one of us to make sure that the rights of the few are not trampled in some well-intentioned but misguided attempt to cater to the majority. It is up to each and every one of us to educate ourselves about other cultures, other religious faiths, other ways of life. That doesn’t mean we have to agree or even compromise our own views. But we must be willing to listen … and to learn. Think about your own workplace and how it is enriches by the contributions of talented men and women of various backgrounds. Shifting demographics, technological innovations, globalization and increasing concerns about security have combined to change the workplace dramatically since the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was established in 1964. And researched predict that the workplace will only become more diverse with time. The increased participation of ethnic and racial minority groups, people with disabilities and older workers will further shape workplace attitudes and expectations, causing us to re-examine many of our basic assumptions. But our goal must remain the same: to eliminate discrimination in the workplace and ensure equal employment opportunity for all. Equal opportunity is an important and guiding principle for those of us in higher education, in how we manage our institutions and in what we try to impart to out students. As Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor stated in her opinion on the University of Michigan Law school case last year, “Major American businesses have made it clear that the skills needed in today’s increasingly global marketplace can only by developed through exposure to widely diverse people, cultures, ideas and viewpoints.” Because our state’s colleges and universities represent the training ground for the leaders of tomorrow, we must set the standard for guaranteeing equal opportunity for all. As Justice O’Connor so eloquently stated in her opinion, “In order to cultivate a set of leaders with legitimacy in the eyes of citizenry, it is necessary that the path to leadership be visibly open to talented and qualified individuals of every race and ethnicity. All members of our heterogeneous society must have confidence in the openness and integrity of the educational institutions that provide this training.” It’s because of our university’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity that one of my first actions as president was to name a special assistant to the provost for university diversity. I have always said it is our sacred duty as a university to inspire our students to be leaders in their communities and profession and impress upon them the need to take their education and make this world a better place. To be able to reach their full promise as human beings, which is our hope for all our students, they must appreciate cultures other than their own, they must be respectful of various viewpoints. They must be committed to principles of fairness in all their dealings. They must respect the abilities of the disabled. They must be blind to gender, race, religion, nationality, disabilities and any other trait that has no bearing in the workplace. Those are the graduates who are best equipped to succeed in their careers and in life itself. Those are the types of graduates we’re striving to send out into the workplace. Throughout my life and my professional career, I’ve often heard, “It’s easy to do things right in life. It’s harder to do the right thing.” This is the personal revolution each of us needs to help lead at home, at work and in our communities. Let us be mindful of equal opportunity law. But let us consider it as only a starting point. Let us resolve, whether we’re in supervisory positions or not, to do everything in our power to create a workplace that is welcoming, affirming and inclusive. In this time of revolution in the workplace, let us not be found sleeping. There’s an old Italian proverb that says, “At a round table there is no dispute about place.” Let us set about today to make sure that all segments of society are represented at that table.
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