Leaders from several minority groups in Salt Lake City would like to see more "community" at Salt Lake Community College. Minorities make up 12 percent to 13 percent of the student body there. The county itself is 20 percent minority. But ethnic leaders claim the college has lagged far behind the curve in its attitudes. Charges of racial bias, language discrimination and lack of cultural diversity have surfaced at the school. And ethnic leaders are flexing some muscle to force a few changes.
They say the best way to blunt accusations of discrimination and change the landscape would be to hire a member of an ethnic minority as the new school president.
Whether such strong-arm tactics are ever effective would be a topic for another editorial, of course.
The topic at hand is leadership.
One remembers how much the late Pete Suazo accomplished by working quietly, finding consensus and urging people to adjust to a new world. Such a president at SLCC — whether white, black, brown or blue — would be a bonanza.
A minority president at any of Utah's colleges and universities could offer a breath of fresh air and new perspective. At SLCC, however, a new ethnic president would also have to weather some nagging questions.
Was the president hired to mollify critics and blunt criticism?
Was the appointment an attempt to wallpaper over deeper, more ingrained problems?
And if, as minority leaders claim, a culture of racism does exist at the school, could an ethnic president heal those wounds without widening the divide?
These are questions the search committee must confront.
If inequality is indeed a concern at the school, the important thing at this point is to think in terms of issues.
An ethnic president could address that inequality. So could a Caucasian president.
The important thing is to get the right person in the post. A minority president could work wonders at SLCC. What SLCC can't afford is a cosmetic solution to what's perceived as a chronic condition.
The new president must have a sense of justice and diplomacy, be imaginative and creative and know how to create consensus.
If that person surfaces from the corps of Asian, Indian, Hispanic, black or Pacific Islander candidates, wonderful. Put that person to work immediately.
If the person surfaces from another community, so be it.
At this point, SLCC needs a problem solver.