It seems thoughts on diversity never exactly go to where they should. Too many times the diversity thought just becomes a race thought or a black-white thought, but diversity is so much more than whether one is interacting with someone whose skin tone differs from them.

We have to take into consideration that diversity is a measurement of variety. Diversity can compare so many other things than an ethnic background like social status, sex, gender, economical fitness and even how well one can toss a football!

The diversity discussion is a campus-wide discussion. This is not something central to the Honors College, and it is especially not something central to black students. Black students are underrepresented in far too many other areas and organizations on the UA campus. The only area black students are not underrepresented is within any historically black organization.

Today’s discussion on diversity on the UA campus or diversity in the Honors College goes far beyond where the typical student likes to think it does. We are facing a discussion that is very much a heavy after-effect of our history.

Speaking about black America alone, it is necessary to realize that access to education in the community has not been as consistent as that on European-Americans. Education is just as generational as wealth is when considering the fact that those who come before you lay the foundation for you to grow. You also have to be able to afford the University of Alabama before being able to attend it. You have to come from a community with access to a good primary education prior to entering the Honors College.

The University has one of the highest dropout rates in the nation. There’s no question about whether the University may be losing the diversity it already has while trying to gain more. The University also holds the number three spot for the amount of black students it graduates, but statistics do not change history.

In questioning whether honors students become isolated from experiencing diversity, I believe they do not. The Honors College provides its students with many outlets for interacting with people of a diverse background. The International Honors Program speaks for that by welcoming students to a world filled with diversity.

Outside of IHP, Honors students have the opportunity to participate in the Blueprints program that takes place at Central High School–a pre-dominantly black high school. Honors students can choose to participate in the First Friends program that allows students to experience the differences in the culture of a UA international student first hand. There’s even Documenting Justice, which places students in an arena to explore diverse social issues.

As far as the student body goes, no, the Honors College does not currently represent the larger UA student body. The administrators of Nott Hall, the executive board members of the Honors College Assembly, our Diversity Committee and I understand that. We have all been committed to working toward fostering a greater community of minority honors students.  That is why I am in the HCA position that I am in today.

When it comes to selection, the Honors College has its natural academic standards for students. It’s an inner campus institution with scholarship as one of its four primary foundations. There is no reducing who can attend outside of that standard.

Applying for entrance into the Honors College remains available to all undergraduate students who have completed at least one UA semester. If anyone feels there is a need to focus on recruiting more African-American students specifically, please know that the Honors College is working hard at that.

We are also working to ensure we attend to the minority students we do have so that we create a change that can begin within and grow outwards. The Minority Experiences in the Honors College Luncheon was just held last Friday, and received positive feedback from the attendees. As one student said, this is not just about “a diverse body.” Like I mentioned previously, diversity is more than just a skin tone. It’s also about “a diverse face,” and our face is influenced by our University, which is influenced by the proportions of our entire population.

I prefer to think there is still more space for minorities to grow in the Honors College versus minorities just basically being underrepresented. This is a discussion that our history has played the dominant role in creating. We may not be here to change history, but we are here to promote a better future. We are focused, and we are doing what we can in terms of this diversity discussion.

Josh Gray is a junior majoring in political science and international relations and Director of Diversity for the Honors College Assembly.