Editorial: Leaving the Third World behind

Unfortunately, there is a striking lack of awareness of the center, its mission and what its role could be on campus. In contrast to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Campus Club, the center’s Sept. 17 opening was sparsely attended by students. This is nothing new: A USG survey in 2004 found that 40 percent of undergraduates had never been to the center and a third of these students did not know what it was. The new facility, however, provides an opportunity for the center to remedy this fact and redefine its role and reputation on campus.

The center’s mission is an important one on a campus plagued by a reputation of exclusivity and social stratification. It aims to contribute to the creation, cultivation and promotion of an inclusive university environment through hosting groups, speaker series and events that focus on multiculturalism and diversity. But it has struggled to find its niche on campus since it served as a support center and an alternative social setting for minority students on campus, under the name the Third World Center. In the coming months, it will be crucial for the center’s staff and affiliated students to roll out an exciting schedule of events and exhibits and vigorously publicize their programming in order to get the word out about the center and capitalize on the newness of the facilities.

The new building also includes a variety of offices and meeting spaces that students can use. These rooms are available for groups including Princeton University Mentoring Program (PUMP), Community House, Sustained Dialogue and other multicultural organizations and groups. But these spaces can also be utilized by student groups of all stripes, and the center should reach out to the campus community to let group leadership know they can use the facilities for meetings, practices and events. By including students who might not otherwise spend time at the center in the life of the building, the center can advertise its existence and further its goal of bringing diverse groups together.

Overcoming both a lack of awareness about and poorly developed understanding of the Center and its mission will not be easy. But with high-quality event planning and outreach to a variety of groups on campus, the center can make the move worthwhile.