News

MCSC pushes UW to meet goals

This is the fourth part of a series highlighting the multitude of student organizations on the University of Wisconsin campus.

As the University of Wisconsin continues to address diversity issues on campus, the Multicultural Student Coalition wants to help the university attain and retain more minority students.

With the second Plan 2008 forum meeting later this week — where university administrators and faculty members will discuss their progress in making UW a more attractive and welcoming place for minorities — members of MCSC said they can offer the creative solutions and services the university needs to achieve its goals of creating a more diverse and hospitable campus.

"[MCSC] works as a facilitator, a catalyst to bring together a larger campus community," MCSC administrative staff member Daveon Coleman said in an interview Tuesday with four other MCSC representatives.

Through initiatives like the "Links Mentorship Program," a multicultural poetry slam and an upcoming hip-hop summit on Friday, Nov. 4, MCSC hopes to make all students feel more welcome on campus and educate them on the many cultures and issues other students may not be aware of.

"MCSC is ultimately a resource for students and the UW campus to have the negotiations on what multiculturalism means and how it can benefit the campus," MCSC executive staff member Katrina Flores said. "We move the [diversity] programs and initiatives we think of here into being institutionalized by the university."

The Links Mentorship Program pairs an underclassman student with an upperclassman and a faculty member to help the student navigate through the daunting processes of choosing majors and finding internships. The mentors also offer their support as the student deals with the daily obstacles of living on a large campus that can, at times, be overwhelming.

"It's one of the new programs out there, and it's growing every day," MCSC administrative staff member Kevin Dopwell said. "The program's going really well when it comes down to maintaining a good environment for people."

MCSC members are also proud of the many programs they put on "at least once every week" to engage students in issues of diversity, which they said help UW become a more tolerant campus.

The upcoming "Fantastic Five" hip-hop show — a series of theatrical performances showcasing the different elements of the hip-hop culture — is just one such event meant to teach students about different cultures and break down negative stereotypes.

"[The event] serves to educate people about the hip-hop culture, which is frequently misinterpreted, especially here in Madison," MCSC executive staff member Bradinn French said. "We want to break those walls down."

Through programs like the "Fantastic Five," MCSC believes its initiatives are more creative and effective in attaining and retaining minority students than the initiatives the university attempted to implement with its Plan 2008.

"The programs we set up — like the mentorship program — help in that," Coleman said when asked how MCSC can help the university retain more minority students. "[The programs] give students a way to navigate through the university so the stresses they might deal with aren't too much."

For more information on MCSC and upcoming events, visit www.mcscuw.com.