Barnard Director of Diversity Initiatives Pam Phayme stopped by to talk about diversity on campus:
In response to a question by Stephanie Ferndandez, BC’14, Phayme explained that the current bias report system has several different channels that don't effectively communicate with each other. Therefore, if the same student experiences a bias incident in two different places, there is no way for Barnard to recognize patterns and trends. The Diversity Initiative would like to ultimately streamline this process for students so that there is one phone number or one email address that students can report to.
When asked about how many bias conflict reports she received, Phayme said she mediated 2-3 conflicts between students this semester, but that students more frequently report cases of micro-aggression. She defined micro-aggression as “little things that people can experience on a day-to-day basis that speak to larger incidents of bias or stereotypes.”
When asked by Academic Affairs Rep. Malvina Kefalas about student quotas, Phayme clarified that Barnard doesn’t follow any quota system (nor does any other college institution) because it is illegal. She explained, “If you have been admitted to Barnard, it is because you’ve earned your place here. When students are in a competitive environment, it is important to provide them with spaces to hear that.”
