The Union is celebrating its annual Diversity Week, but don’t expect to see many U diversity groups at the festivities or involved in the events.
“We wanted to be involved, but because the information was not sent in a timely fashion, we weren’t able to participate,” said Valerie Green, International Student Services Center adviser.
Members of Union Programs Committee sent emails and printed letters to advisers at the International Center and Center for Ethnic Student Affairs about two weeks ago, said Freddy Rodriguez, Union Programs Committee member.
“We couldn’t send out the letter earlier because we didn’t know if we had the Union Ballroom yet,” he said.
However, Green didn’t receive an email until the week of Thanksgiving Break.
“You can’t get a hold of student groups right before a break,” she said.
At the CESA office, Karen Kwan-Smith, a student adviser, knew little about the events and was not planning on participating.
“I don’t have anything planned, maybe some of my students are, but I haven’t planned anything,” Kwan-Smith said.
According to Rodriguez, a lot of the email addresses were incorrect.
“We get the emails from the ASUU list, and a lot of the addresses don’t work anymore,” he said. “It’s been very difficult contacting people.”
Today, Union Programs is hosting a student organization fair, and only a handful of groups are scheduled to set up tables.
“About five or six groups are setting up tables,” Rodriguez said. “We were hoping for a lot more.”
Rodriguez and Union Programs Committee Vice Chairwoman Anne Robertson believe one reason student groups didn’t participate is the newness of the fair.
“This is the first year we’re doing the fair and buffet, so we don’t really have tradition to back us,” Robertson said.
Although the University of Utah has hosted events celebrating diversity, this is the first year the Union Board or Union Programs have specifically hosted such events, said Ryck Luthi, associate Union director.
However, Union Programs expected little involvement from the diversity groups on campus.
“The main goal was to get groups to show how they contribute to campus diversity,” Robertson said.
Chartwells, rather than ethnic student groups, will provide the food for the international lunch buffet?consisting of international finger foods?taking place today in the Union Ballroom at 11:30 a.m.
The only involvement CESA will have in Diversity Week is providing Polynesian Dancers Thursday night .
Other groups, such as the Study Abroad Program, were not invited.
“We were not informed, to the best of my knowledge,” said Aaron Rose, study abroad adviser. “We will do our typical tabling downstairs, but we would love to do a table at the fair if someone would invite us.”