A new Residence Hall Association diversity statement stresses equality as well as education.

Adopted as a diversity statement on Sept. 22, 1991, which puts an emphasis on equality and learning about various diversities at NIU.

A Programming Vice President John Huddleston said the statement originated from the National Association of College and University Residence Halls’ annual conference in May, where it was adopted.

A distributed the statement to hall council presidents and vice presidents to get their opinions. Huddleston said the statement passed unanimously.

Huddleston said the diversity statement puts a greater awareness on diversity and will help educate students about the diversities at the university.

“(RHA’s) whole goal is to educate people,” he said. “We are different, and we should learn about these differences.”

In the past, individual hall councils organized their own programs, but now RHA is organizing programs which include all of the residence halls, with more of a focus on diversity.

“It’s not important to us that people actually hear this statement but that we are doing programs to educate the people in the halls,” Huddleston said.

Huddleston added that the RHA received a very good response from the NIU administration regarding the new statement.

Vice President for Student Affairs Barbara Henley said she thinks the statement is very positive and shows the commitment of the students who passed it.

“It clearly shows that these people recognize and appreciate every single student on the campus for their uniqueness, differences and commonalities,” Henley said.