Last week I had the chance to judge the UW Collegiate Slam
poetry finals. If you've never seen a spoken-word performance before, let me
assure you that nothing quite compares to the brutal honesty and pulsating
passion of this type of poetry. This was my — and some of the other judges' —
first time critiquing a poetry slam. But appreciating the art wasn't about
being the most knowledgeable about it; it was about being the most open-minded.

Being a judge forced me to listen intently to the lyricism
and observe how the poets discussed the issues important to them, whether it
was confusion about mixing Japanese heritage with American culture or sadness
because of stereotyping and sexism. I learned more about my fellow students —
of all races, genders and creeds — in that one night than I did in my ethnic
studies requirement course.  I'm
not saying that the ethnic studies requirement isn't important, but it is a
different type of learning.  This
was direct, in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is honesty — not textbook theory. This
is exactly the honesty we need in order to improve campus climate and increase
retention rates.

According to information presented at this fall's Plan 2008
Diversity Forum, only 75 percent of minority students — compared to 90 percent
of other students — think our university is doing a good job to ensure that all
students, regardless of race or ethnicity, have that great Wisconsin
Experience.  The research data
presented by Academic Planning & Analysis shows there is a significant
difference in perceptions of campus climate between minority students and the
rest of campus. Students of color do not feel as positively about the
University of Wisconsin as others do, and they are less likely to stay here as
a result, with an almost 20 percent difference in retention, through
graduation, between the two groups. 

Often when we talk about diversity, we use the catchphrase
"recruitment and retention." However, we as a university have been focusing too
much on recruitment and not enough on retention. Don't get me wrong —
recruitment of diverse applicants is absolutely vital to the quality of the
education we all receive. Nevertheless, equal, if not more, emphasis on
retention until graduation will be the only way we can improve campus climate
for every student.

One finding of a 2006 undergraduate survey is that living in
University Housing improves retention, perhaps due to the support of MultiCultural
Resident Consultants. Positions like these are designed to emphasize
personalized attention, instead of letting students fall through the cracks. Another
example of individualized support is the First Wave Urban Arts Learning Community,
the first of its kind in the country. It combines the existing infrastructure
of University Housing with a supportive cohort of peers to cut across perceived
racial boundaries.

First Wave is run by the Office of Multicultural Arts
Initiatives, the same entity that collaborated to organize the poetry slam
finals. Founded in 2005 as a part of the School of Education, OMAI is an
embodiment of the Wisconsin Idea that we at UW should always be giving back to
the community. Josh Healey, program director of OMAI, told me student
organizations have been having this conversation about campus climate for some
time. He said OMAI shows the administration values these discussions, yet there
are so many conversations that have yet to be had and so many gaps that still
exist.

Events like the UW Collegiate Slam are ultimately going to
bridge those gaps among students and improve campus climate and understanding
and thus retention rates. In my time here as a student, I have seen no other
administrative entity that strives for — and achieves — the integration of
campus and community as well as OMAI does, from its spoken-word clubs in local
Madison high schools to its continuous flow of co-sponsored events on campus.

A new addition to the litany of OMAI events this year is the
monthly Just Bust! open mic night, to which I accompanied a friend last Friday.
He was scared initially, but warmed up as the evening went on and the
supportiveness of the listeners grew. Young and old, black, brown and white,
gay and straight, male and female — all united by the nervousness and fear that
come with putting your art out there and knowing the audience isn't judging
you. And that is what makes you feel comfortable here on campus. That is when
connections are made across cultures, erasing the gaps of perceived satisfaction
and laying the foundation for improved retention.

Initiatives like First Wave contribute to that foundation by
prioritizing the improvement of campus climate, directly and indirectly. Danez
Smith, a First Wave artist, busted his poem, "What It Is," at the open mic. Smith's
poem captured my feelings that night about poetry, spoken word and initiatives
like OMAI: "It is crossing gender lines, color lines, language lines, picket
lines, welfare lines, lying lines/ It is the line between revolution and
resolution."

What we need to do as a university and a community is quit
the posturing and rhetoric. Quit the debating about the necessity of diversity
education programs or positions promoting diversity and campus climate. Quit
focusing too much on recruitment and start focusing on retention. We need to
quit talking, quit stalling and Just Bust.

Suchita Shah ([email protected])
is a senior majoring in neurobiology.