The "Creating Inclusive Communities" forum addressed the growing amount of diversity faced in today's workplace and the need for potential business leaders within the University of Wisconsin to place it among the top of their priorities in Grainger Hall Friday.

The forum, co-sponsored by the Associated Students of Madison, was held as part of UW's Plan 2008 diversity initiative.

With testimony of growing diversity from Mary Burke, the Wisconsin secretary of commerce, the forum also featured a number of interactive theater activities performed by the UW-Madison Theatre for Cultural and Social Awareness. The open discussion fostered by an expert panel raised attentiveness towards diversity.

"Thirty years ago, universities felt that they were on the vanguard of promoting diversity," School of Business Dean Michael Knetter said. "Now outside pressures say we're not pursuing the issue enough."

Burke added businesses are trying to set their aims toward a consumer base that will have a white minority by the year 2050.

Wisconsin corporations such as Harley-Davidson make a point to seek out minority-owned businesses to form a diverse supply base, Burke said.

According to Burke, they do so by finding minority-owned businesses that would be potential suppliers and then give them the option to go through an 18-month certification program.

Harley-Davidson is just one of several Wisconsin businesses who go beyond "we try" in terms of approaching diversity, Burke said.

"Open-First, a small custom printing company in Milwaukee, has made a point to find places for minorities not just on the production floor, but in the office as well," Burke added.

The forum featured diversity-oriented comedy skits by professor Patrick Sims as well as the Theatre for Cultural and Social Awareness.

With a cast ranging from a biomedical engineering Ph.D student to professional actors, the crew played three skits that showed how diversity plays out in daily life at the university and in the workplace. These skits were based on situations the actors experienced themselves.

Sims said he and his troupe weren't looking for the feel-good stories, but those that could foster genuine conversation.

The skits included one where a black graduate student was placed in a situation where the only reason he was receiving a scholarship he desperately needed was because he defied stereotypical laziness.

The second featured an undergraduate black student who felt bigoted as a guest lecturer tried to explain the role of domestic violence in rap music and the final skit showed the director of the University Outreach Fund deciding whether or not to place a tour guide who may or may not be gay with a donor who may or not be homophobic.

All skits fostered discussion within the audience about how they would or should act in these situations.

"It was great to hear what others say about a situation," School of Business graduate student Heidi Kadamian said. "You may disagree with what [other audience members] say, but it gives you a different way of looking at things."

Other audience members remarked at how similar the scenarios played out on stage are often played out in real life.