Issues that count
Diversity should be top priority

According to statistics recently released by the Office of Admissions, more high school seniors want to come to TCU than ever before. The number of ethnic/minority students who applied to TCU for fall 2001 and were accepted also increased. The university will benefit from their presence.

The TCU administration has become a champion for diversity, designing the university’s mission statement and some of its programs with cultural awareness in mind. The university can benefit from these efforts.

But chances are when most of us begin classes each day, we aren’t concerned about whether the people we share the lecture halls with bring different perspectives to campus. We’re wondering who took our prime parking space. And we’re hoping we can go 24 hours without getting a parking ticket.

When class is dismissed, we head to The Main for lunch. We get in the same line we did the day before. We order the same chicken strips we have eaten for weeks. And we sit in the same section we have since the beginning of the semester. We don’t bother to consider whether our section is segregated. We have too many other things to worry about. After all, we might have a parking ticket.

Every day some of us spend hours driving around Main Campus looking for a parking space. Every day we interact with TCU students and faculty from all walks of life. But it’s parking on our minds.

Congratulations to the TCU administration for taking steps to address issues of campus diversity. Thanks, too, for finally providing us with evidence that our parking woes may soon be solved.

Although often misguided in their approach, the TCU administration is starting to listen. They are on the right track. Slow in their progress, they are making progress.

Now it’s our turn.

We need to find a way to look beyond our stresses about parking. We need to develop the skills it takes to reach out to our fellow students, our professors.

We have to find a way to address the issues that matter. We might start by listening.

Editorial policy: The content of the Opinion page does not necessarily represent the views of Texas Christian University. Unsigned editorials represent the view of the TCU Daily Skiff editorial board. Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent the opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board.

Letters to the editor: The Skiff welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, signed and limited to 250 words. To submit a letter, bring it to the Skiff, Moudy 291S; mail it to TCU Box 298050; e-mail it to skiffletters@tcu.edu or fax it to 257-7133. Letters must include the author’s classification, major and phone number. The Skiff reserves the right to edit or reject letters for style, taste and size restrictions.