DeKALB | NIU, along with other universities, has an affirmative action plan in place with the goal of increasing diversity on campus.

“The purpose of the plan is to increase [the] diversity of the university community through affirmative action, said Karen Baker, assistant vice president of human resource administration. “By seeking out and encouraging the participation of all individuals, particularly from those groups that in the past might have been either limited or even inadvertently excluded in their participation.”

For example, the math department may hear from students that they would like more Latino professors. Using the affirmative action plan when trying to fill a vacant position in the department, they may advertise in publications geared toward Latinos or circulated in large Latino populations.

However, this does not guarantee that any Latino who applies will receive the position. The vacancy still goes to the most qualified applicant, but by specifically targeting the Latino community, it gives Latinos a greater chance to find out about the opening and apply.

“Affirmative action plans signal the university community and community at large of NIU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and usually provide enhanced opportunities for recruitment, selection, retention and advancement of traditionally under-represented group members,” said David Wade, associate professor of management.

NIU’s full-time university faculty for fall 2005 showed that while there is a close balance between women and men — women account for 42.9 percent of the faculty — the ratio among different ethnicities is not so promising. In fall 2005, white non-Hispanics accounted for 78.8 percent of the faculty, with the next largest group being Asian or Pacific Islander at 7 percent.

Jessica Collins, a senior management major, said she thinks NIU’s teaching staff could be more diverse. She said she has never had a black teacher throughout her 3 1/2 years here.

“I think it’s important to have more diversity at the university because then students are getting different perspectives, different teaching methods and different styles,” Collins said. “All of these things play a large role in the real world when out working for a company, being exposed to different people and having to work side-by-side with people different from you.”

Some students pursuing a future in human resources think it is important to work for companies with such plans in place and learn how the plans work.