“We, as students, form a diverse and vibrant university community.”
So states the opening line of the new Saint Louis University Oath of Inclusion, a long-term project by the Student Government Association, which seeks to spell out what it means to be an inclusive community on a college campus.
The Oath was officially launched and revealed to the student body at a barbecue held in the quad on Tuesday, April 19.
Despite tornado and storm warnings blaring over the radios, SGA President Courtney Anvender said she thought the event was successful.
“I think there is a really good energy here, maybe because its not raining yet,” Anvender said, “but I think it’s cool that students want to see what this is and what’s happened with it.”
Though the turn out was promising, several students who attended were just hearing about the Oath for the first time that day.
“I’m not really sure what this is,” junior Lizzy Burns said, “but I think diversity, particularly focusing on inclusion within diversity, is important, because you can have diversity and not include people. It’s important to stress the inclusion factor.”
To promote awareness of the Oath, members of SGA handed out copies of the text with burgers and root beer that were served at the event.
“We have sign up sheets for people to sign up to help in the future,” incoming Vice President for Diversity and Social Justice, Kripa Sreepada said. “We also have surveys asking what students think inclusion is because it’s such a hard concept to define.”
According to Sreepada, SGA has been working on the Oath since the summer of 2010. The finished Oath asks students to embrace diversity inclusive of all races, ethnicities, sexes, genders, ages, abilities, faiths, orientations, classes and ideologies. It challenges students to assess their worldviews, enrich the culture of SLU and foster a welcoming community while working for social justice both at SLU and beyond.
“I am very proud of the Saint Louis community,” Richard Peralta, Residence Hall Coordinator of Fusz Hall said. “This is obviously a step forward, and the rest of the student population is stepping forward as well. SLU really is becoming a stronger community as people for others.”
Sreepada stressed that the Oath was a necessary step because it clearly outlines what is expected from students.
“The Oath is important because it puts forth a very formal document about how SLU is committed to being a very inclusive community,” Sreepada said. “I think the document gives students a manner in how to act and asks them if they’ve met this standard.”
Anvender agreed, stating that the Oath gives the student body a mission to live up to.
“We’ve had a lot of good feedback so far, and even now, this Oath is bringing people together,” Anvender said. “I’m curious to see how this continues past this event. I think it’s really important for SLU because this is for the student aspect of the community. It’s about what we are about and how we expect each to behave.”
