Diversity course requirements will be a reality for University students in the near future, according to several Faculty Senators. But members focused on the form and effectiveness of the courses yesterday.

The two-hour forum began after a presentation from the subcommittee on culture and race diversity and appeals from student speakers.

"The only thoughts I have been exposed to in the curriculum are of white European heterosexual males," said student speaker Michael McRae (senior-exercise science). "For white European heterosexual males this is fine, but for the majority of the world it is of minimum relevance."

Senator after senator affirmed the necessity for diversity courses.

"A considerable number of students feel they do not belong . . . we must support them," senator Dennis Gouran said. "(The requirements) are not going to solve all the problems but this is the place to start," he said.

But a few senators said the curriculum is already diverse and a requirement is unnecessary.

Since making students aware of diversity was an original goal of general education, senator Bob Schmalz said, the senate should give the existing programs a chance to evolve into diversity courses.

According to the report, students would have to pass one three credit "diversity focused course" or four three credit "diversity enhanced courses."

Focused courses would center on issues related to "racial, ethnic, gender and/or global perspectives." Enhanced courses will devote 25 percent of their time to these perspectives.

Neither option would require additional credits or the creation of new courses.

Senator Joseph Prewitt-Diaz reminded senators three times that no courses in hispanic studies exist at the University and these students' concerns must be included.

"I am deeply concerned there is no representation of hispanics studies program," he said.

Senators questioned the effectiveness of the proposal.

For the requirement to achieve its goals, students should have to expose themselves to a background other than their own, senator William Klien said.

But,such an additional stipulation would be difficult for the records office to implement, Schmalz said

"(The requirement) doesn't meet the original impetus because of the possible substitute of a global course for black/women studies," senator Jonathan Goldstine said.

In response to such concerns, senator John Lilley proposed an alternative set of requirements. Under these requirements diversity focused and enhanced courses would study issues related to racial, ethnic and gender perspectives.

However, global perspectives would be studied separately in either a three credit "international interdependence focused" course or four, three credit "international interdependence enhanced" courses.

"Before we take a step forward to deal with people in other countries, we should deal with the problems in this country," a Behrend student senator said. Few non-black students take black studies courses, she added.

Other senators urged a comprehensive change in the curriculum.

Citing ways to integrate diversity into the business curriculum, a Capitol College senator said, incorporation of diversity into all segments of coursework should be investigated.

Klein said the notion that some courses will be considered diversity-enhanced implies that other courses are "DID -- deliberately ignoring diversity."

Judd Arnold urged his colleagues to be realistic and strike a "balance between new and traditional learning."

"All General Education courses are tokenism," Arnold said.

These courses, like the proposed diversity courses, are intended to underscore the value of a particular area of study, he said.

Senators disagreed over the ease of implementation of the proposal.

Some members said many diversity-type courses already exist and the cost or hassles of implementation would be minimal.

But, Felicia Smith, member of Academic Diversity Awareness Project said funding will be needed to stringently review diversity courses to ensure they meet content stipulations.

Others argued faculty education and extension of commonwealth campus courses would require funding. One senator suggested a reduced requirement for associate degree students and commonwealth campuses in general.

Students from underrepresented groups commented on the meeting.

Black Caucus supports diversity focused courses and recommends a one credit human value course in which students would be taught the value of all human beings regardless of background, McRae said.

Brian McKernan, LGSA member who attended the meeting said his group is concerned that sexual orientation is not currently included in the definition of diversity courses.