Need some context. Gender pronouns assigned at birth? False and defamatory language that is actually true?
Houghton is a private Christian University that does not endorse any of the woke gender identity BS. They warned her and told her and another person to stop with the gender identity stuff, they didn't and both got fired.
Senior Isabelle Murch (‘23) feels that the Mosaic Center went from one extreme to the other without being given the tools to thrive. She wishes time was taken to listen to the entire student body, and rather than closing it, restructure the center to become proactive in celebrating diversity.
Some students are also concerned with removing a safe space for people of differing racial and ethnic backgrounds. Sophomore Kimberly Borges Edwards (‘25) and Junior Caroline Zimmerman (‘24) wrote about the negative impact closing the center will have on diversity at Houghton, and the lack of care and support marginalized students feel from administration as a result of this decision.
Women’s Area Coordinator Raegan Zelaya remarks that while she understands the reasoning behind closing the Mosaic Center, Houghton–as an institution–can’t claim to value diversity if we aren’t doing everything we can to safeguard and develop it.
“If anything,” Zelaya writes, “it feels like it just further demonstrates that the university is only interested in the kinds of diversity that are convenient for marketing purposes. It is outrageous to have diversity as a pillar in our strategic plan when we are actively cutting the programs and spaces that help empower diverse students to succeed.”
The Intercultural Ambassadors, renamed from the current ambassador program, will provide intentional and impactful programming on campus to foster intercultural connections and learning through student leadership. President Lewis writes that these student leaders will help plan events for heritage months, assist the MLK Day Committee, and organize campus conversations. It is simply the space being closed, he comments.
“Houghton remains committed to intercultural education and engagement,” President Lewis explains, “which is why the ambassadors [program] is remaining, with an explicit focus on facilitating and supporting Christ-centered intercultural education and engagement.”