The Department of Residential Life plans to create a series of diversity-focused training videos for its staff, Residential Life Director Frankie Minor said.
The videos would feature interviews with students.
The racially-charged graffiti message painted Saturday outside Hatch Hall underlined the importance of anti-discrimination efforts, Minor said.
“Sadly, this incident has brought to attention that this is still with us,” he said.
Minor said the videos are not in reaction to the graffiti.
“This has been something we’ve been discussing since the beginning of the semester,” Minor said.
The videos, which would be used as part of Residential Life staff training, would include interviews with students on a variety of diversity-related topics.
Those topics include gay, lesbian, bisexual and gender identity and expression issues. Topics also include gender roles and stereotyping, religion and faith, disability and race.
“The purpose of this is to get a student perspective on these issues,” Minor said.
Minor would also appear in the videos to explain what Residential Life does to promote the understanding of diversity on campus, especially in the residence halls.
Throughout each year, Residential Life trains staff to promote a safe, inclusive environment. As part of Residential Life’s staff training, videos could be a valuable discussion tool, Minor said.
A small committee is working on the videos, which are in an early stage of production, he said.
Residential Life sent an e-mail to the student staff Listserv to find students who would like to be interviewed for the videos. The department has also hired a student intern to help with production.
Residential Life plans to complete the videos by the end of the spring semester to use them during intensive staff training.
Giving students an active voice in diversity initiatives is important, Minor said. The administration’s view of issues is not the only one, he said, and not always the one represented by the largest constituency on campus.
“Students have, by virtue of their numbers, the loudest voice,” he said.
Minor said Residential Life would be willing to help fund ideas put forth by the Residence Halls Association, like One Mizzou Pledge Banners. The banners would be placed in or outside all residence halls and Greek Life houses to show students’ support of a diverse campus, an e-mail RHA sent to its constituents Tuesday stated.
Residential Life already promotes inclusivity through frequent residence hall events and the FIG program’s diversity requirement, but Minor said the department would continue to expand its efforts.
“I don’t think you can ever do too much,” he said.
Rachel Peterson, a freshman living in Lathrop Hall this year, said she often sees diversity-related events advertised through the residence halls.
“It feels like they’re trying to promote diversity, to make it more accepting,” she said.
Continuing to promote diversity and differences is important to ensure that every person on campus feels respected and safe, freshman Lindsey Wickham said.
“Everyone has feelings and everyone has a sense of self,” she said.
Minor said he hopes Residential Life’s efforts will decrease discriminatory incidents like the graffiti.
“Hopefully, by working together, we can reduce the chance of this happening again,” Minor said.
