With the Faculty Senate's report on mandatory diversity classes circulating among University organizations, a student group is advocating that minority issues and contributions be taught across the curriculum.

The Academic Diversity Awareness Project, founded by five women, aims to improve classroom climate and remove gender and racial biases in the curriculum, said member Lynn Comella (senior-psychology).

Additionally, the group wants to combat negative classroom experiences for underrepresented groups, said member Becky Smith (senior-social work).

Although members praised the Faculty Senate proposal of two diversity requirement options, they say the measure does not go far enough.

The senate's proposal, to be discussed at this month's meeting, suggests "associate and baccalaureate students would be required to take either one three-credit diversity course or four 'diversity enhanced' courses."

A diversity course would focus on in-depth study of one issue related to racial, ethnic, gender and/or global perspectives. A course that is designated as "diversity enhanced" would devote 25 percent of its time to these issues.

"(The senate's proposal) is an add-on to a curriculum that is obviously biased," said group member Jeanette Gibson (senior-English).

But Faculty Senate member Eric R. White said labeling the entire curriculum biased is an incorrect classification.

"We must be careful not to categorically condemn our own curriculum," White said.

Instead, altering the views of individual faculty members who are not responsive to underrepresented groups is a better way to change the curriculum, he said.

Faculty members have a responsibility to suggest instructors alter and rethink the content and conduct of their classrooms, White said. Better publicized faculty workshops on curriculum integration should be offered to accomplish this goal, he said.

"I think faculty are very responsive to new ideas," White said.

According to an A.D.A.P.T. statement, the group wants the University to create a list of non-biased teaching guidelines, a bibliography of integrated curriculum resources and a directory of integrated and non-integrated courses.

The group suggests the University improve the classroom environment through a policy mandating the use of gender-neutral language in the classroom and the creation of faculty awards for well-integrated courses.

"If students are introduced to perspectives reflecting human diversity, they have a broader academic foundation from which they can pursue individual interests," Comella said.