Diversity Week aimed at boosting awareness at USU

In an effort to make students more aware of the diversity on campus, ASUSU is sponsoring Diversity Week starting Jan. 17.

Campus Diversity and Organizations Vice President Josh Wood said the university is at no shortage of diversity and the purpose of the week is merely promoting awareness.

“By no means does the campus lack diversity,” he said. “We feel diversity is simply uniqueness; we’ve got plenty of uniqueness.”

Tuesday evening, Multicultural Student Services is sponsoring a candlelight vigil honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Following the vigil, William Smith, a race and ethnicity studies professor from the University of Utah, will be the keynote speaker.

Students will have a chance to play wheelchair basketball in the Taggart Student Center Wednesday afternoon. Wood said Thursday will spotlight the political diversity on campus. College Republicans and Democrats will have tables in the TSC, followed by a forum with Logan Mayor Randy Watts.

“That night, during the basketball game, we’ll also be taking one of the time-outs to recognize several USU students who have been proactive in promoting diversity on campus,” Wood said.

Friday night, a diversity carnival will cap off the week. The carnival will feature free Aggie ice cream and a diversity trivia bowl, where students will have the chance to win prizes. Campus groups will also set up tables at the carnival and answer questions from students.

“It will be sort of a Week of Welcome for the second semester,” Wood said.

-acf@cc.usu.edu