ISU officials are insisting a lack of student involvement in the upcoming President’s Dialogue on Diversity does not root from a lack of interest.

The first Dialogue on Diversity of the semester was originally planned for Thursday at noon. The dialogue was intended to focus on student presentations as attendees discussed issues of race and diversity in American schools and how they relate to Iowa State. However, no students offered any presentations to be judged, and the program has been postponed.

The uncertainty has caused some students to question the validity of the program.

Sheena Green, director of diversity for the Government of the Student Body, said the lack of student presentations was the reason the dialogue was canceled.

“I don’t think it’s a lack of interest [that caused the cancellation], but we were asking for large, multimedia presentations, and a lot of students don’t have the time to do things like that,” Green said. “I think it’s hard for students to relate to things that happened to students 50 years ago.”

GSB President Mike Banasiak said he attributes the cancellation of the dialogue to miscommunication.

“I think the main problem we have is miscommunication right now — miscommunication about what the conversation about diversity should really involve,” Banasiak said. “To me, I think this proves that a more informal process should be used. Issues like diversity are discussed better in one-on-one situations, small groups.”

Even though students didn’t jump at the chance to present their views, it doesn’t mean students don’t have ideas regarding diversity, said Vijay Kanagala, graduate assistant with the Carver Academy program in the Office of Minority Student Affairs.

“This shows there may be a new focus on campus, a different focus. Everyone has their own ideas about diversity; we need programs like this because they help everyone,” Kanagala said.

Stephen Ma, sophomore in pre-business, said he wishes programs like this were more successful.

“I think it’s a shame that there is no student involvement when we all had an opportunity to express ourselves.

“Perhaps university resources could have been used in better ways,” he said.