Thanksgiving couldn’t have come soon enough.

Given the debate that raged last week over the columns tackling affirmative action in both The Badger Herald and the Daily Cardinal, we probably needed the break. At the very least, it may have calmed the outrage over the views of some of our writers and those responding to them.

But with two-and-a-half weeks left in the semester, it’d be very easy to let the issue sink again, only to see it surface again next semester. That’s what we’re accustomed to doing: ignoring our problems when they become too monumental or difficult to handle.

The issue of race and ethnicity has the potential to degrade the quality of any public forum because of the intense ignorance and antagonism associated with that discussion in America. We don’t do ourselves any favors by going silent the second we hear a reference to racist thoughts or accusations of racism.

So, it’s time to debate the approach this university has to the oft-discussed concept of “diversity.” But unlike our previous discussions where we sit around and muse on the state of society like philosophical burnouts in any number of coffee shops in Madison, we need to actually debate what direction UW can take to create a more serene, equitable and fair learning environment.

Students, professors, community members and administrators: Send in columns and letters to the editor tackling any subject regarding what has been commonly called “diversity” at this university, but try to address any of the following questions:

?What should we do at the institutional level? Should UW administration and Associated Students of Madison be doing more to improve relations between minority students and the white majority on campus?

?What do minority students misjudge or misunderstand about the largely white, straight student body and vice versa?

?Is UW’s holistic admissions policy useful? More importantly, perhaps, is it working?

?Should the discussion regarding campus climate be extended outside of race to include disabilities, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status?

?What progress can be made on this campus, if any?

Please limit your response to 800 words and please include links to research used.

And, as mentioned before, please don’t use the word “diversity.” That term has only clouded the conversation and it’s time to clarify our misunderstandings.

We’ll be publishing some letters and columns this week, but we’ll dedicate our Opinion page next week to a more focused discussion of race and ethnicity on this campus.