The student journalists at Campus Current applaud our college’s administration for making diversity a priority on campus and for offering training in diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism to faculty and staff.

But why is there no training for students? We need it, too.

In fact, we believe the college should introduce mandatory diversity and sensitivity training for students.

The college needs to train both students and faculty because this would arm all of us with the knowledge we need to help everyone feel more comfortable using their voices. It also could build trust in our leaders  and college community.

Training helps us understand how biases work. When we understand that, we can minimize their influence and impact on students’ lives. In order to make sustainable systemic progress in reframing the way we view prejudice, training needs to become a practice. 

So making students watch a single video on inclusivity isn’t enough. We need training as an essential ongoing process. The perfect diversity and inclusion training would open up the conversation and get people to admit to themselves that they hold these biases and they don’t need to be ashamed—but they do need to put in some extra effort to fight against them. That can’t happen in one meeting. It will take some time.

Diversity and inclusion training for students would be one huge step toward making AACC a more empowering place for its students and faculty, encouraging students to use their voices and ensuring the safety of all.