After a Cinco de Mayo event sparked controversy regarding racial insensitivity, University Dining has decided to involve more students in the planning and coordinating of future events, according to Jennifer Gilmore, director of marketing and communication for Campus Enterprises.
Tracey Ray, assistant vice provost for student diversity in the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, said there have been a few meetings since the event, including one between University Dining and students.
At the meeting, students were asked to reflect on their perception of University Dining’s Cinco de Mayo event, what they felt was offensive and the steps University Dining should take toward successfully hosting Hispanic- or Latino-based cultural events.
Ray said she anticipates several conversations will take place between Multicultural Student Affairs and University Dining, especially over the summer as University Dining begins to plan and hopefully expand the number of events held throughout the school year.
However, Ray said, it isn’t the goal of Multicultural Student Affairs to be involved in every event planned by University Dining.
“If they can get it through students, that’s great,” Ray said. “When needed, as requested, we are more than happy to be available.”
The importance of how such cultural events could be used as educational tools for expanding student knowledge and awareness was heavily discussed at University Dining’s meeting with Multicultural Student Affairs, according to Ray.
“Our hope is that, in the future, University Dining will continue to celebrate culture, while also providing educational opportunities as it pertains to food and the work they do,” Ray said. “The goal is that you will see more of these kind of events and that the planning will pull in greater types of expertise.”
At the Cinco de Mayo event, which took place in Case Dining Hall, students were given chocolate mustaches and sombreros and were served what was intended to be Mexican food.
Gilmore said she admits that because the event was one occurring late in the school year, there was not as much participation and oversight as there should have been in coordinating the event.
According to Gilmore, it didn’t take long for students to point out the insensitivity of how the event was organized through several different outlets, including the Wolfpack Students Facebook page, Multicultural Student Affairs and personal contact with University Dining officials.
Gilmore said that although people had seen the chocolate mustaches and sombreros in the University Dining office, no one really considered how these things would come together to create an inappropriate image.
“There was no heightened sense of awareness,” Gilmore said. “We never put it together that way until someone mentioned it and it made sense and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, how were we so insensitive?’”
Even after receiving such bad attention, Gilmore said it was an enlightening learning experience for University Dining, and this will not prevent University Dining from continuing to organize events to celebrate diversity.
Ray said she felt the issue was dealt with properly on both ends.
“I think University Dining did a great job responding overall to student concerns,” Ray said. “University Dining was very timely with their response, and the students did a great job articulating their issues with the administration.”
Gilmore said that moving forward, University Dining will strive to get input from knowledgeable sources to make University Dining events more successful.
“There has to be dialogue about what is okay and what is not,” Gilmore said. “There are organizations here at State that embrace and celebrate diversity, and this will create new opportunities to work with new groups we haven’t worked with before.”