It is sometimes difficult for students' voices to be heard across a college campus, but here at MSU, students have the chance to have theirs broadcast loudly.
A newly created minority program on the university's campus radio station WDBM (88.9-FM), the Impact, is a prime example of that.
The minority program is set to air once a month as part of Impact's weekly Exposure series. Exposure gives a one-hour forum to several area organizations each week night starting at 7 p.m.
The new show aims to broadcast the voice of MSU's minority community and is set to introduce the Council of Racial Ethnic Students in its first few sessions before expanding its focus in the future.
This and other Exposure shows are an excellent opportunity for students to share their views and listen to the experiences of others to gain a better understanding of the MSU environment.
In the Impact's case, diversity education is at the turn of a dial for Spartans. Students just have to take the effort to tune in.
MSU is an educational institution. Students should take advantage of opportunities to learn and engage in intellectual debates on prevalent issues.
Too often people are heard complaining that various minority groups seem exclusive and unwelcoming, but forums like the Impact's show otherwise. People just have to be willing to engage themselves.
Sadly, all too often, they seem to prefer laziness. This is evident by the simple fact that black student-produced newspapers, such as The Legacy, which struggled for readership and staffers.
The only people reading minority niche newspapers seem to be the minorities it is geared to cover. That shouldn't be the case. Everyone can learn from different minority perspectives.
Students are students regardless of their affiliation with different groups, minority or otherwise. The conflicts and issues they face are common to all other college students. These issues should be discussed and presented in a viable medium for other college students to hear.
The radio is not the only medium for students to access viewpoints that might differ from their own because of social perspectives. But, perhaps, it might be one of the easiest.
College campuses like MSU's are filled with ideas for social and political change. Every student at MSU should take advantage of the variety of mediums that address important topics from a variety of standpoints.
The Impact hosts several informative and student-based shows that not only help keep MSU students up-to-date on events, but also on the social issues that affect them.
Student forums like Exposure help monitor the pulse of students to discover their concerns, passions and significance.
This, along with minority produced newspapers and various student groups, provide a loud educational voice across MSU's campus. And all students need to do is be willing to listen and engage.
