A senator at Sunday night’s Student Association meeting motioned to change the name of the Minority Relations Commission.

Sen. Robert Hatcher said he doesn’t feel the term ‘minority’ is appropriate because it suggests certain groups or individuals are minor.

“I think the name ‘Student Committee on Cultural Diversity’ would be good, if the committee was to serve the needs of students who are representing cultures other than caucasian,” Hatcher said.

“Very often times, you use the word ‘black’ referring to the black race or the African-American race and you equate it with minorities,” he said.

Hatcher said he doesn’t think it’s fair to other cultural ethnic groups. He also said he doesn’t think it’s fair to his ethnic group because of the connotations of being minor to some other group.

He said he thinks the issue should be addressed on the student level and then taken to the university level. He said NIU needs to reflect the attitude it takes toward “Unity in Diversity.”

“I’d like to see the word ‘minority’ taken out of the President’s Commission for the Status of Minorities,” Hatcher said.

Minority relations adviser Quentella Heard said she would like the name to be “Committee for Traditionally Under-represented Students.”

“That’s exactly what the minority relations committee was in the beginning. Some people are offended (by the name). They think that minority makes you less than a person. We are not,” Heard said.

She said the issue will be brought up again at the next Interfraternity Council meeting.