Diversifying government

The Daily Pennsylvanian

College freshman Hayling Price had only been on campus for a few days when he received an e-mail from Makuu, the black student cultural center on campus, about an upcoming student-government information session and the importance of increasing minority representation.

"There was a tone of urgency saying that we need representation because our voices were not being heard in student government," Price said. "I planned on getting involved in student government anyway, but I didn't know when the elections were. ... I immediately jumped at the opportunity."

Price's experience marks a trend of minority groups pushing for increased representation in student government, mainly by encouraging constituents to run or apply for various positions.

Following a controversy last spring over the representation of "mis- and under-represented" groups on the University Council -- a prominent governing body at Penn -- minority student leaders were concerned that their constituents are underrepresented in student government.

"We all started to wonder who is it that's discussing certain applications for the University Council seats," College senior and co-leader of the Latino Coalition Vanessa Padelford said. "It was brought up in discussion that perhaps there was a lack of diversity on the [Nominations and Elections Committee] and groups like the [Undergraduate Assembly] ... that would benefit from a diverse body."

An ad hoc committee was formed to discuss how the NEC selects student representatives to the University Council, as well as how to increase communication between student groups.

College senior and Chairman of the NEC David Diesenhouse said that his body is "making more of an effort to become a more diverse body."

"We always look for a diversity of opinions, diversity of backgrounds, diversity of ideas," he said.

The NEC, along with minority coalitions on campus, has been increasing its efforts to attract a larger and more diverse applicant pool.

For example, the NEC made a greater effort to post flyers this year in all the college houses, rather than just the Quadrangle and Hill College House.

Minority student groups have used methods such as e-mailing information about student government to their lists and speaking individually to students to encourage more participation in student government.

But beyond the flyers and e-mails, sometimes the best form of minority recruitment is simply leading by example.

Wharton and Engineering freshman Rishabh Jain -- who attended an international school in India -- heard from a friend that the sophomore class president, Puneet Singh, was also Indian.

"After hearing that an Indian actually got elected last year, I realized it's possible, so maybe I should give it a shot," Jain said.

Jain is now running for president of the Class of 2009.

"So much of it has been word of mouth," said Nina Wong, a College junior and chairwoman of the Asian Pacific Student Coalition. "Trying to really engage freshmen, see what their interests are and then assist them in whatever ways possible" is one way of doing so, she said.

However, student leaders are careful to note that while it is important to have minorities on student-government organizations in order to have a diverse perspective, they are not merely looking to fulfill a "quota" just for the sake of diversity.

"The approach that has been taken so far is to educate individuals about what these groups do and try to inspire people to be interested on their own instead of trying to force it upon them," College senior and Undergraduate Assembly Chairwoman Rachel Fersh said. "I think we've all moved past the idea that forced diversity can be a good thing."

College senior Wesley Nakamura, vice chairman of the APSC and a member of the UA, added, "It's not necessarily about just having minority bodies in place, someone with physical features within certain organizations. ... It's definitely about how qualified they are, how aware they are of certain issues going on."

Price says that if he were to become a member of the UA he would make sure that the concerns of the black community are heard, but his main priority is to serve the undergraduate population as a whole.

"There's a fine line between being a token and being a representative," he said.

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