To start off, I do not place blame on any Denison Staff members who are simply doing their job. Rather, I blame the institution from which workers are being told how to do their job who need to be held accountable for their actions.
In other words, Denison, in my personal experience, has shown itself to be extremely unfair to international students, non-citizen students, students of color, students with disabilities, or anyone else who can be considered a minority. With isolation, cultural straining, and distinct classism, Denison continues to uphold a definite power structure which favors those who happen to fit this ideal mold of a wealthy college student despite claiming to accommodate everyone’s needs.
My specific personal experience with Denison’s power structure is a rather odd one in that it revolves around my citizenship status. Long story short, my financial aid package once reflected that I was a U.S citizen, but recently after discovering that I am only a permanent resident, my financial aid package changed, losing a significant amount of my original acceptance scholarship. My family did not account for, nor did we expect this change. Yet the rest of my home situations remain the same as when I applied for Denison in the first place, filling out the numerous forms that get sent to financial aid. What remains a problem is that because of one little change in documentation, I can no longer afford this school without having to push myself over my own financial limit, creating more debt for not only myself, but my family as well. The constant threat of not being able to return to campus is something that a student should never have to go through. We come to this university for a reason, whether that is academics, sports, good financial aid, etc. Losing that opportunity is a very hard pill to swallow.
This is just a financial example; the inequality goes into vaccines and dining hall experiences too.
Denison is known for its high number of international students from all over the world. Even though this is a fantastic reputation to have, only displaying the numbers of international students is not enough and can be seen as a form of tokenism. The inclusivity of international students revolves around creating a comfortable environment for all students whether that is in a dining hall or our wellness center.
A great example I always think back to is when I lived in East Hall last year as a sophomore. I witnessed a lot of students cooking their own meals every night rather than going to the dining hall and such. Although at the end of the day this is a personal decision, and out of respect for human decency, no one should be entitled to tell others what to do, I remember chatting with some of them in passing explaining how Denison never serves meals that they enjoy or reflect their culture. If Denison is as welcoming, accepting, and understanding as they say they are, then effort would be put in to prepare more exotic meals for everyone to try and for others to enjoy. It is true that from time to time Denison does offer exotic meals at the dining halls, but the options are always limited.
Another example includes the other week when all students were required to get their flu shot vaccines. All students were required to fill out insurance forms, and from what I gathered, international students have their own separate coverage. Yet, as I was walking out, I heard someone state that Denison has not released the coverage for international students. Although there is still one more day to get the vaccine this upcoming October, it is unfair to require students to get certain clearances but not having insurance coverage.
At the end of the day, I enjoy this school. I enjoy how I get to take different courses and meet new people on a daily basis. I enjoy the challenges this school has to offer in order for me to grow as a person. However, I do not enjoy the constant struggles that a fair number of students have had to go through in order to simply be a student and gain an education. It is quite hypocritical to promote equality and diversity when there is a clear power imbalance between the Denison institution and its students. Inclusivity requires equality in all aspects of an institution: financial aid, customs, culinary, language barriers, etc. To achieve equality for all requires effort from the students, yes, but a lot of the effort also needs to come from Denison itself.