Iowa State needs more diversity. For years we’ve been hearing it.

Unfortunately, the message of what exactly diversity is sometimes becomes unclear, with the term becoming a buzzword that for many intents and purposes has lost meaning and significance.

Wednesday’s forum in the Sun Room takes a small, but significant step in achieving goals the university has and should set for issues regarding diversity.

Attended by a ‘diverse’ group of approximately 200 people, including ISU President Martin Jischke, diversity advisor to the president’s cabinet Derrick Rollins, GSB senators, college deans and leaders of a variety of student groups, this forum began attacking the heart of this issue: what exactly do we do? What steps and initiatives do we take? What the heck is diversity? And how do we achieve it?

Do what the participants of the forum did. You get specific.

No more talking about general concepts like understanding, education, etc. Not that these are not important concepts, but when faced with such a daunting task, we need to do less philosophizing and more doing.

Let’s talk more about why there isn’t an Asian student cultural center.

Let’s talk about wether diversity training is a necessity for professors.

Let’s discuss funding for groups like the LGBTA and other under-represented groups on campus.

Jischke’s diversity initiatives offer some proactive efforts to ‘achieve diversity.’

What initiatives are beneficial? Which are wasteful? Which could be improved? What is the administration neglecting?

It’s time to get down to the nuts and bolts. We’re aware there’s pain. We’re aware there’s injustices and hard-feelings.

Let’s get proactive. Let’s have more forums, more planning and, as Derrick Rollins reminded us, much more interaction between groups. Now that’s diversity.