The Associated Students of Fort Lewis College created the ASFLC Diversity and Equity Committee, a sub-committee focused on celebrating diversity and creating an inclusive culture, after a unanimous vote Wednesday night.
“Diversity focuses on the differences within a mix of people, whereas inclusion is the act of trying to bring that mix together,” Robert Dennett, ASFLC First-Year Ambassador, said. “Diversity is what we have, inclusion is what we’re trying to do.”
The responsibilities of this committee are to ensure that representation from different groups and narratives across campus are either being addressed directly or brought before the table.
In another discussion regarding steps required to further implement mental health and wellness programs on campus, Iyahna Calton, ASFLC Sen., said that a system should be created where professors can excuse one absence per semester as a mental health break.
Gillian Bynum, ASFLC Speaker of the Senate, said that she supported this because FLC policy allows for a student to get a slip excusing an absence for physical sickness but there is no such policy for mental health.
Bernard College in New York City implemented such a program and saw a rise in the average gpa and reported student engagement, she said.
A proposal would need to be sent to Faculty Senate before being implemented, she said.
Discussion also focused on introducing the requirement of a shortened constitution to the formation of registered student organizations, as well as the possibility of more mandatory meetings for RSO presidents and requiring more updates to the organization’s Skyhub page.
ASFLC President Cody Stroup disagreed with the introduction of these rules.
“It’s already difficult to run a RSO,” Stroup said. “It’s tough work if you don’t have officers behind you that are willing to put in work. If we make it more strenuous, is that going to deter future leadership?,” he said.
One senator made an argument in support of introducing further regulation.
If a disorganized RSO is going to be formed, it will attract students who will be disappointed if it disbands due to lack of leadership, ASFLC Sen. Carson Ingram said.
A formal resolution has yet to be created.