OUR HISTORY

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), established as part of the Division of Student Affairs in 1988, strives to promote the rich cultural resources of the Tulane community and to provide ethnic minority students with the academic, social, and personal support services that facilitate their transition to life at Tulane and in New Orleans. Throughout the year, OMA provides and co-sponsors programs for the campus community, such as the Multi-Ethnic Student Orientation; the Diversity Convocation; the Annual Pot-Luck Thanksgiving Dinner; and speakers, events, and workshops for various cultural celebrations.

Tulane's cultural student organizations take on the responsibility of promoting cultural and social awareness programs and events in the campus community throughout the year and especially during our cultural weeks: African Diaspora Week, Asian-American Awareness Week, Black Arts Festival, Celtic Week, India Week, Islamic Awareness Week, Latin American Week, Martin Luther King, Jr. Week for Peace and the Tulane University Vietnamese Association Fair.

LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Student Life is a component of the Office of Multicultural Affairs that serves to create a safe and supportive academic environment by providing educational opportunities for the entire campus community, while advocating for the needs and concerns of LGBT students, staff, and faculy. Our overall goal is to create an open and affirming environment, void of homophobia, heterosexism, and gender bias.

OMA also serves in a liason role to the Tulane University Religious Life. The religious organizations at Tulane and the Religious Life Staff exist to offer students the opportunity to continue life as a spiritual person while on campus through worship and community; to increase religious awareness and understanding on campus; and to offer religious counseling for students who request it.

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Office of Multicultural Affairs is to first and foremost retain students of color. Through mentoring, tutoring, and program it is the hope of the OMA to retain all of our multi-ethnic students to continue....It is also the mission of the OMA to engage the larger community in affirming diversity and moving beyond tolerance and acceptance to begin the process of appreciating all of life's differences.