To be honest, we almost missed One Mizzou Week, and chances are, you probably did, too.
The week, which took place in the middle of September, was a hastily thrown-together calendar of events that would have taken place with or without the title of “One Mizzou Week.”
This was just one year after massive lines spilled out the doors of the MU Student Center to get 2012 One Mizzou Week event tickets.
We understand that bringing huge speakers and planning a packed week of events is expensive and time-consuming, but this was a serious decline. Last year, One Mizzou Week brought a sold-out audience to hear Maya Angelou, a thoughtful candle-lighting ceremony and a concert that brought all students together for fun (and literally, Fun.), among many other events. This year, we had a few more panel discussions, a few opportunities for free food and a talk from Kohl Crecelius of Krochet Kids International (kind of like TOMS, but not TOMS). We’re all for free food, but this was pathetic.
What happened to One Mizzou?
It was disheartening that a week that celebrates diversity on campus and educates students on various student perspectives did such little celebrating and educating. A week full of events that would’ve happened with or without One Mizzou Week does not benefit students. Instead, it was more like a week that happened just so the committee could say it happened and move on.
But merely checking One Mizzou Week off the calendar does more harm than good. It showed students that diversity should be celebrated by only a select group of students who sought it out, when in fact it should be celebrated by all students.
Next year, we hope the committee can focus on finding events and discussions that make students excited about diversity and truly challenge the everyday student’s thinking. (Keep the free food, though.)