Here at the University of Sussex, all students are prioritised both academically and personally, with attempts at inclusion throughout the curriculum and university policy. In beautiful, diverse Brighton, having a multicultural and inclusive space is important for the entire community and ensures a positive environment for all students. In fact, in 2021 Sussex won the award for Student Diversity at the Global Student Satisfaction Awards, shining a light on the University’s diversifying efforts. But despite the good intentions, there are still questions over just how inclusive it is when it comes to the curriculum. Is there more to be done? After taking the time to speak to a student, it is clear to The Badger that opinions of our learning space may differ.
Isabella Thomason, a second-year Liberal Arts student, gave her perspective on the curriculum at Sussex. When asked whether there was more to be done in certain departments and what changes are needed, Isabella argued that, on the whole, modules are inclusive – they cover a variety of theoretical and cultural viewpoints. Under her broad degree, she has taken criminology, international development, art, and history electives so far, thereby having a wider perspective and understanding of the Sussex curriculum than most students. Isabella also noted the recent efforts of her classmates in using more inclusive language. For example, trigger warnings are used in lectures and seminars to highlight material that may be offensive and/or sensitive.
However, after noting the admirable attributes of Sussex’s syllabus and content covered within classes, Isabella voiced her opinion on the ways in which we can improve diversity on campus as a whole, starting at the Library. She explained: “I don’t use the library physically, but maybe [there should be] more advertising of different authors during certain times of cultural celebrations such as Black History Month [as a way of] showcasing a wider variety of content”. When asked if Sussex is still eurocentric despite the relatively wide coverage of diverse content, she said, “Yes definitely. It still abides by the British holidays and [overall] ways of life, which perhaps makes it difficult for people of some religions such as Islam to feel included on campus due to prayer commitments. I think that many [cultural holidays] are celebrated internally (within societies and social settings) however the rest of the university [curriculum wise] is not so aware of these.”
When we discuss diversity and inclusion efforts at Sussex, the themes that are immediately drawn to mind are the likes of race, ethnicity, religion, social class, gender inequalities, and sexuality. But perhaps topics that don’t spring to mind so quickly are being missed. One such topic is disability awareness. This is a matter that is often overlooked by the university when it comes to inclusion within the curriculum and physical environment. On this issue, Isabella commented, “The campus is very inaccessible [as it has] lots of stairs and hills. This should be more of a priority for the wellbeing of staff and students on our campus. For example, the seemingly pilgrimage-length walk that many less-able students have to complete to reach an entrance to the Library that doesn’t involve stairs. But worry not! Planning permission has just been approved for the addition of a new lift and disabled entrance to the front of the library. So it seems Sussex is making real progress in their inclusion efforts.
It is students who are impacted the most by subject content choices and campus inclusivity. Of course, this from the perspective of a humanities student, making it difficult to generalise the inclusivity efforts at Sussex across all courses. Overall, the intentions to create a diverse environment are there, but the actual implementation sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. One can only look forward to the University’s next steps.
