News Release

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January 5, 2006

New Diversity Requirement Goes Into Effect at Boise State Beginning Fall 2006

A new requirement for graduation from Boise State University seeks to expose students to the cultural diversity inherent in the world around them. The Diversity Requirement, which goes into effect with the fall 2006 semester, requires critical examination of differences such as gender, sexual orientation, class, race, culture, ability, nationality, religion and ethnicity.

This requirement will not affect the number of credits required for a baccalaureate degree. Many of the diversity courses are already in the core curriculum, but now contain material focused on diversity issues.

The goal of the program is to afford individual students a critical perspective of the culture with which they are most familiar and to help them appreciate the elements common to human beings across all cultures. This will ensure that Boise State students graduate with the knowledge needed to work and live in an increasingly diverse world.

Students may select from dozens of courses that provide a foundation for ongoing exploration of differences, including but not limited to:
     Anthropology: Cultural anthropology
     Botany: Plants and society
     English: African-American literature
     Gender Studies: Introduction to gender studies
     Modern Languages and Literatures: Foreign language
     Political Science: Contemporary political ideologies
     Sociology: Introduction to multi-ethnic studies
     Sociology: Urban sociology
     Special Education: Exceptionality in the schools

�The members of the Faculty Senate�s diversity committee are pleased to have participated in the development of the diversity requirement,� said committee chair and anthropology professor Bob McCarl. �This process has taken a number of years to complete. We look forward to assisting students and faculty in creating curricula that directly address issues of cultural exclusion and oppression in our society.�

The policy originated as a resolution passed by Boise State�s student government in December 2002 and was unanimously approved by the university�s Faculty Senate in November 2003. A national survey released in fall 2000 found that 63 percent of U.S. colleges and universities had either adopted a diversity requirement or were in the process of doing so. Among those with diversity requirements already in place are the University of Michigan, Texas A&M, Northern Arizona, UNC-Chapel Hill, Kent State and Oregon State.
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Contacts: Sona Andrews, Provost, (208) 426-1202, sonaandrews@boisestate.edu; Bob McCarl, Department of Anthropology, (208) 426-4038, bmccarl@boisesetate.edu
Media Contact: Kathleen Craven, University Communications, (208) 426-3275, kcraven@boisestate.edu

Boise State University is the largest institution of higher education in Idaho with about 18,600 students and 2,200 faculty and staff. More than 190 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and technical degrees are offered within eight colleges. A metropolitan university located in the capital city, Boise State is committed to life-enhancing research, teaching excellence and public service.

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Last reviewed on Wednesday, January 03, 2007