Group Members: Eric Johnson, Liz Lambert, Brittany Kohler
Brittany: Hey everyone from intro to humanities 1100, we welcome you to our podcast, “Yo, this is Diving into Injustice”
Brittany: My name is Brittany Kohler, and I have two others with me today please introduce yourselves.
Eric: Hi I’m Eric Johnson
Liz: Hello I am Liz Lambert
Brittany: I’m So happy you two are here today, Liz, why don’t you start us off with our topic.
Liz: We will be discussing the topic of racism throughout campus and off campus life, to start I have some statistics from the Lantern stating that African American male students make up less than three percent of the population at Ohio State University. From 2013 to 2017 an analysis done shows that the university enrolled less than 130 African American men in each class out of the 7,136 first year students. African American women make up about 3.2 percent of Ohio State’s student population, which is about 263 more students than black men.
Brittany: Liz that is interesting because in a lot of these colleges when you are applying they are promoting diversity and explaining how the campus welcomes a diverse culture and some prompts even ask you to expand on how you will contribute to a diverse campus.
Liz: More recent data from 2020 shows that at Ohio State’s campus population consist of 65.4% white students (about 27,947 students), 6.4% black students (2,722 students) so there is an improvement with the percentage of African Americans representing the student body but there is also in increase in total student numbers so that has to be taken into account when looking at “improvements”
Eric: Relating the topic of the diversity of the campus to what Liz said, I personally am in a program that is predominantly white male students. I am a construction systems management major. In an article written about diversity in construction management, it stated that in 2020 out of all the schools in the US, a combined 18% of students are Black and Hispanic while less than 10% are women. Some universities are trying to make this program more diverse as well as other companies. Companies are offering scholarships to students to get into the program. The construction field is in general lacking in diversity. It is sad that women construction professionals only make 86 cents to the man’s dollar which is from narrowing the gap. There needs to be more diversity in the construction industry for the statistics and wage differences to get better. These are prime examples of “othering” as discussed in our class. In my classes I am currently enrolled in, there are only two females in my classes and I know of only about 5 in the program. I feel like these women feel out of place at times. By incorporating new recruiting tactics, I feel the program and industry will become more diverse and people won’t feel like they are considered the “other.”
Liz: That is really interesting about the construction management systems programs, you do not see a lot of women or minorities in your day to day routines with those classes. My dad has worked construction for over 20 years and he rarely worked with a large number of women. I think another common theme in construction are minorities and how they are treated as “other”. Have you had any experiences where minorities have been treated unfairly on the job site?
Eric: Yes Liz I have had a few instances where minorities have been treated as the “other.” One thing that is very common is making fun of people or making racist comments. I have never seen someone say it to another, but the fact they say it behind their back shows that they really do feel that way. Another big thing is how women are treated in the industry. It is obvious that some men think women should not be in the roles they are in and sometimes are treated horribly just because they are female.
Liz: Is this common on the job site or later on in a more private setting such as a lunch break?
Eric: The experiences I have had were more in private settings whether that’s riding in the truck or people away on lunch. I have never seen someone make a comment straight to someone’s face but let’s be honest, it probably happens all the time I just haven’t experienced it.
Liz: I think it is also common that women will get discriminated against for essentially being in “a man’s” workplace. I can’t imagine that would be a welcoming environment for someone who is not a man.
Brittany: I agree with Eric and Liz, it does happen all of the time. Personally, when I worked as a server, my boss said he would only hire white women servers, but I’m sure he would never say that publicly.
Eric: Liz and Brittany, have you guys noticed this in other programs and how can colleges and universities incorporate different programs to help make the campuses more diverse and better for students?
Liz: One of the programs I looked into was the engineering program at Ohio State which is also a white male dominated field. Females do not account for a large percentage of engineering students let alone black women. In 2014 there were no black women enrolled in the engineering program. It is not uncommon to see this type of pattern within specialized programs. There is also a lack of diversity within the staffing as well. In 2015, Monica Cox was appointed the Department Chair of OSU’s college of engineering. She has made it a point to discuss the importance of being a black woman teaching students in a field that is not highly diversified. Creating environments where it is not uncommon to have diverse staffing promotes a more accepting university life and can also encourage students who are of a different race to join or apply for these programs because they know they are getting represented not only within the student body but also their staffing. I believe Ohio State creating a more diverse staffing field is a step in the right direction.
Eric: Liz, thank you for pointing out another program that lacks diversity. I think there are a lot of degrees and programs at OSU that lack diversity. This isn’t just an engineering problem or a construction problem. Overall it is a problem that a lot of college campuses face.
Brittany: Eric answering your question Colleges, and specifically universities can do many more things to be more diverse. I read an article on forbes.com of a black woman named Manny Nelson who attended a predominantly white college, after already attending a predominantly white high school. She stated how she still felt ostracized and developed imposter syndrome, for even raising her hand. I think specifically in Eric’s program and even as Liz stated the Ohio State’s engineering program which is predominantly white men. Universities can hire more diverse staff, such as maybe a black woman to teach the construction program etc.. Overall creating “safe spaces” like cultural centers that will build a more reliable and welcoming community for everyone. Another way is maybe develop a new metric system for success, Train people in how to discuss racial issues inside and outside of an education setting.
Eric: OSU currently has an office that focuses on racial justice. There is a 17 member group which is leading the way to help engage the OSU campuses and students. By creating this office and really focusing on the topics, it will overall help and benefit the campus. I think we can all agree that there needs to be change in the world and this group is fighting for our fellow Buckeyes. It’s a step in the right direction for the university and hopefully some change happens so that students feel more safe and are not profiled based on who they are. This brings us into what really is “othering.” A lot of students on campus and people in the world experience this everyday.
Liz: I think it is good for colleges and universities to have these buildings, clubs, centers and so on as a safe space or a place where students can feel like they are not alone. A lot of efforts have been made to promote a more diverse and accepting environment however there are always instances that appear within universities about racism so maybe it just needs to be more of a consistent topic instead of putting a program into place when a conflict occurs and then assuming it is resolved if there was more of a follow up I think that would have a positive affect.
Liz: I think something we all can take from this is to not just think of yourself or assume things at your campus are fine. Personally I fell into the “single story” narrative because like Brittany said when applying to colleges they are asking you how you can contribute to diversity on campus, you think campus must already have the perfect setup for all students. When I was finding the knowledge for myself I was shocked by the numbers of enrolled black students and that was something that changed my perspectives through universities. Being a white female I did not have to worry about being represented equally in the student population but for a black male or female that is a different story.
Brittany: I agree it is very nice that they have these buildings, clubs, etc.. but making this topic more consistent in all areas would actually promote change, and even make myself more aware of these issues.
Brittany: After reviewing our topics we noticed a common theme of “othering” The concept of “othering” which makes a group or individual feel inferior compared to “one” or the superior person. They can feel inferior based on their gender, race, looks etc. We have seen this a lot throughout our studies and readings we have completed, unfortunately it is typically minorities who are othered and made to feel inferior by not only individuals but also larger systems such as universities.
Eric: Thank you both for your thoughts today. I think we had a wonderful discussion. The fight is not over but I think through the proper steps, we can all help make the world a better place. This concludes our podcast and we would all like to thank you for tuning in.
Citations:
By: Chris Burt | March 15, & Burt, C. (2021, March 16). How one university is fueling diversity in construction management |. University Business Magazine. Retrieved November 19, 2021, from https://universitybusiness.com/how-one-university-is-trying-to-fuel-diversity-in-construction-management/.
Statistics, U. S. B. of L. (n.d.). The gender pay gap for women construction managers. Narrow the Gap. Retrieved November 19, 2021, from https://narrowthegap.co/gap/construction-managers#:~:text=Women%20construction%20managers%20made%2086,the%20same%20job%20in%202020.
Civic Nation Brandvoice: Black And Brown Students Are In Need Of Safe Spaces On Campus!
Manny Nelson – https://www.forbes.com/sites/civicnation/2021/08/11/black-and-brown-students-are-in-need-of-safe-spaces-on-campus/?sh=613b338c6000
How To Create Inclusive Environments For Black Students on Predominantly White College Campuses
Bedelia Richards – https://scholars.org/contribution/how-create-inclusive-environments-black-students-predominantly-white-college-campuses