"Say 10 Hail Gaias and attend a voluntary re-education course"

The College of Education -- which is ranked eighth out of the nation's education graduate schools, according to a 2005 U.S. News and World Report survey -- has many diversity initiatives in place, she said. The school was recently awarded an Interdisciplinary Reading Group Award from the University Center on Diversity and Community, which will allow a group of the college's faculty members to study methods for developing culturally responsive practices.

Shadiin Garcia, student support-services coordinator for the Sapsik'wala (Teacher) Education Program, said problems have existed in the college for years. But an incident during the February Career Beginnings conference, during which students learn tips for future interviews, "brought it to the forefront," she said.

At the conference, students in the college learned the importance of firm handshakes and direct eye contact when meeting with potential employers. When a student of color raised concerns that her culture does not encourage such interactions, a comment by Springfield school district's Director of Human Resources Roger Jordan was perceived to be culturally insensitive.

Jordan said he had explained what he calls "the blemish effect," which is something that might distract a potential employer during the interviewing process, such as cultural differences. He said the meaning was misconstrued and that he did not intend to propose that the student's culture was a "blemish."

"My comments there caused quite a flap at the University," he said. "And that bothers me tremendously."

Since then, Jordan said he has tried to improve his understanding of what it means to be culturally sensitive.

If you too would like to be culturally sensitive, read this: 'Education school aims to address mulitcultural crisis'.