GSE Dean, Students Will Discuss Diversity

The Students for Diversity at the Graduate School of Education (GSE) will meet with GSE Dean Jerome T. Murphy this morning to discuss the viability of students' requests for policy reform.

On April 25, the students sent Murphy a letter demanding a series of changes to the school's operations and curriculum to increase student and faculty diversity, as well as to force the school to bolster resources for a diverse student body. The Students for Diversity have called for a new assistant dean who would handle issues of multiculturalism, as well as retreats, conferences and better advising for students of color.

In the letter, the students called for a response from Murphy by May 6.

To reinforce their position, the group held a rally May 3 that drew about 150 people.

Since then, the administration and students have been in a constant dialogue to decide how to improve the GSE.

As Commencement rapidly approaches, students said they view today's meeting as their last chance to work for substantive changes before they leave the school.

"With all of the efforts we've been dealing with this whole year, we'll see if [Murphy is] going to fulfill any of our demands based on his response tomorrow," said master's candidate Enrico S. Mayuga.

When they received a response from Murphy on May 6--a memorandum that selectively addressed the students' demands--the Students for Diversity said they were disappointed and had hoped for more action.

"It's a lot of nice talk, but it's the same talk we've been hearing all year," masters' candidate Wei Fang said at the time.

Since then, the students and Murphy have begun to agree on some major issues.

At the GSE's Standing Committee on Diversity school-wide meeting on May 26, administrators, faculty members and students hammered out a set of revised expectations for the school, most of which Murphy deemed reasonable.

At today's meeting, students hope to find out more about Murphy's stance.

Mayuga said the meeting will allow him "to know where the dean is coming from."