The four Penn State greek councils will once again come together to discuss diversity during this year's Ebony and Ivory Week.

Mark Bunbury, Alpha Phi Alpha vice president, said this is the 23rd year the four councils collaborated to create a week of programs that promote awareness of the racial climate and diversity at Penn State.

"We are trying to bring together diverse people and strive for unity," Bunbury said.

Ebony and Ivory Week began in 1983 under the direction of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and Beta Sigma Beta fraternity, 255 E. Fairmount Ave., in an effort to address racism on campus.

This year's event, with the theme "Connecting on a Higher Level," began last night with a program titled "Penn State on Broadway."

Bunbury said this program portrayed diverse actors, which included the Penn State Thespians and Ashe Theatre Company. He said the message was that races come together in the production settings. "We are trying to find another way for students to connect other than their race," Otniel Calderon, Sigma Lambda Beta member, said.

Tonight at 7 in the Pollock Rec Room, senior lecturer in sociology Sam Richards will lead a forum discussion titled "Are Multicultural Groups Necessary on Predominately White Campuses?"

Richards said he will start with opening comments and facilitate the dialogue between attendees.

Richards said he gives the greek organizations support because it is important to try bringing the ethnic groups together.

"This type of conversation is important," he said. Richards added that Ebony and Ivory Week is an important part of the creating diversity dialogue, but all voices are necessary, like other diversity groups that will not be participating.

Bunbury said that when a specific ethnic group at Penn State has a program to promote diversity, usually the majority of people attending are from that ethnic group. He said in this situation, different ethnic fraternities and sororities will come together.

"We are trying to expand the boundaries between racial groups on campus," he said.

The program, "Interracial Dating" will be held tomorrow night at 7 in the Pollock Rec Room.