Dobbins helps to create international diversity

As the Country becomes more culturally and racially diverse more educational facilities have adopted ways to remain inclusive and allow for students to understand others from different backgrounds.

Because the campus was lacking in numbers of individuals from various backgrounds former Southeast Missouri State President, Dr. Dobbins played a vital role in incorporating new methods to help diversify the campus

According to Associate Dean of Students, Educational Access Programs at Southeast Trent Ball, one factor in Dobbins efforts to ensure the success of diversifying its numbers came from the University's small percentage in the student population.

"Prior to 2008 the campus was struggling to increase our African American student population. This wasn't national. It gets national around two hundred. We hovered around four hundred," Ball said. "They are both over one thousand now. We had really strong targets made with staffing and financing to move that up to a more inclusive number. So at this point now our percentages should be matching the state level."

Since Dobbins helped pave the way for Southeast's ethnical and racial population for both student and faculty, the campus has seen an increase in individuals from various racial and ethnical backgrounds.

Ball added that Dobbins made several steps in making this a reality. The success came from Dobbins strong leadership and dedication to help increase the campuses diversity level.

"Dobbins gave us the flexibility for working with different organizations as well as provide the funding to assist the students," Ball said. "And I can say that working with the staff he provided, there has been more of a valiant effort in diversifying it."

As a result of the Dobbin work to help diversify Southeast, the campus eventually made its way to becoming the most recognized campus for African Americans.

"Southeast is now the number 1 institution for African American students. We have close to over 50 African American students who have been more successful here than they ever have been," Ball said.

Another contribution Dobbins made to provide assistance for establishing diversity was the creation of Safe Zone, an "ally" training program used to teach people discriminatory issues that surround the LGBT community. By educating the masses, Safe Zone aims to provide a means to debunk myths and stereotypes as well as hold group-discussions on how to make classrooms more accepting of these individuals. In order to get the Safe Zone initiated, Coordinator of Leadership Development Megan Murray proposed the idea to president Dobbins.

"President Dobbins and Debbie Below were on board for getting a GA and furthering the goals of the LGBT community. Both of them have been very supportive of the resource center," Wareing said. I think it all began prior to me. But, what I do know is that when Megan Murray started the Safe Zone, she wanted to present it to the president and she did the training for them. We done several things for the program since we open its doors in 2014."

By getting Dobbins approval, the LGBT community plans to further illustrate oppression and bias students may have to LGBT minorities. Wareing said the resource center is very appreciative for Dobbins support.

"I talked to several LGBT students about discrimination. The Safe Zone teaches people of the issues that one needs to be aware of," Wareing said. "You may have biases that you're not aware of, and we are not here to make you feel bad about that, we just want you to be aware of it and make it a positive thing. Students who have come here are very appreciative that Southeast is opening its doors to have center to the LGBT communities, and president Dobbins was a big help."