Inclusive Excellence Student Advisory Council Hosts Diversity Forum

Assembly emphasized student well-being and the financial support of underserved students

On Monday, the Inclusive Excellence Student Advisory Council (IESAC) held a Diversity Forum open to all members of the Santa Clara community. The forum emphasized transparency and accountability throughout its three sessions: student well-being, financial advocacy and meeting student demands. Sessions occurred in different rooms and were led by two to three members of IESAC, who offered discussion questions for the representatives of campus organizations and participating students in attendance.

Within the student well-being breakout session, students expressed concerns regarding an insufficient amount of wellness resources provided by the university. They noted the lack of non-gendered restrooms in dorms, the eradication of COVID-19 emergency housing and the dwindling amount of affordable housing options.

“Because freshmen and sophomores have to live on campus now, students touched on how it is extremely difficult for upperclassmen to find housing and affordable options,” said Ria Panda, a junior and member of the IESAC.

“A student touched on how she had to sleep in her car and in lounge spaces because Residence Life did not respond to her or provide her with solutions when she needed them.”

The financial advocacy session housed a discussion among representatives of Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and members of administrative bodies including Admissions and OneStop. Tedd Vanadilok, the director of the Center of Student Involvement (CSI), offered insights into discretionary spending for the over 170 RSOs. Some suggestions included making payment and reimbursement requests for clubs more streamlined and user-friendly.

Currently, RSO credit cards have a spending limit and can be revoked by the university if organizations fail to meet financial obligations, such as paying off the credit card balance in full. Some members noted that they have to pay out-of-pocket for their club and wait for a prolonged period of time to be reimbursed. Planning in advance for purchases was suggested by CSI as a method for avoiding these extended wait times.

The need for increased enrollment of and financial support for lower-income students was another prominent topic of discussion. Currently, students receiving Pell Grants may not receive enough aid to account for the high cost of living in the Bay Area. As a result, suggestions to double the Pell Grant were offered to help cover increased expenses for students. In 2021, Santa Clara called on Congress to double the grant, which would cover about 24% of tuition at SCU versus the current 12%. 

Ensuring the financial well-being of international students was also brought up to administrative leaders. Some feel that they currently do not receive enough monetary support as they navigate a new country. Although they are unable to receive federal or state aid, they can still qualify for scholarships, according to the Financial Aid Office. International students are eligible for the Pandita Ramabai International Scholarship Fund, among others, and can receive aid from the Santa Clara Food Insecurity Program. 

IESAC currently serves in an advisory capacity to the Council of Inclusive Excellence and is responsible for communicating with the Council and Santa Clara administration regarding issues related to diversity, multicultural learning and inclusive excellence. The council hosts quarterly Diversity & Inclusion Forums and coordinates events for concerned students to meet after campus bias events.