As an undergraduate student leader and an active member of several minority organizations on campus, I would like to praise the fifth-anniversary celebration of the "Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds" initiative. It is a meaningful and also quite a moving sight to see Cornellians across campus make a specific effort (even when it might not be the most direct path) to walk under the many commemorative red arches that have been erected across campus. These arches, and the beliefs of this institution which they openly represent, are just one of the ways that Cornell leaps boldly ahead of its peers in the name of diversity.

I would like to respond to some criticism and vandalism that some of my peers have directed towards the arches, ranging from civil and respectful protest over e-mail lists to the actual destruction of one of the costly installations in front of Balch Hall. The arches and the celebration of the fifth anniversary do not bear a message of "job well done," or "project completed," but rather "let's be proud of what we've done, but also hold ourselves to the task of working harder in the future." The celebration is a reminder of the Cornell community's commitment to keeping diversity issues at the forefront of discussion topics, while consistently and regularly reviewing the challenges that diversity work entails.

While such criticism is a necessary part of the process of building and sustaining diversity on Cornell's campus, this should not imply a silencing of our many unique and truly significant achievements as a university. I am extremely proud to be able to say that my university is one of the select few in the United States that includes gender identity and expression in its non-discrimination policy, provides all incoming freshmen with a dynamic forum to openly discuss diversity issues, and dedicates hundreds of thousands of dollars to diversity-related programming across campus. On our undergraduate Student Assembly, two minority student representatives, one international student representative, and an LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer] student representative ensure that diversity issues are included in all crucial discussion affecting student life.

This time of celebration should also be one of reflection and a critical review of areas for future focus relating to diversity. For example, the campus' current level of accessibility for people with disabilities is well below an acceptable level, so much so that admitted students with disabilities have visited Cornell, sadly reviewed the physical plan, and decided to enroll elsewhere. This is a problem that Cornell can work to eliminate, and working towards that goal helps to manifest a mentality of inclusiveness that is central to diversity work. As a university, when we focus on being competitive, we should also focus on being inclusive; as we broaden our vision for Cornell and pursue large-scale projects in the future, we should never forget the internal and seemingly "smaller" diversity that exist within our own community. Most importantly, from time to time, we should take a moment to celebrate the diversity that we're working to sustain, and the work itself.

-- Calvin Geoffrey Selth, Arts '07