A forum was held at Fresno State Wednesday to discuss issues of inclusion, equity and respect in the representation of minority staff and students.

The forum, which featured Dr. Luis Ponjuan of Texas A&M as its keynote speaker, expressed the concerns and importance of transparency and accessibility on campus for minority groups.

Ponjuan, a scholar in the area of access and equity in higher education for underrepresented students and faculty of color, addressed the issue of universities finding ways to adapt to the needs of those within the nearby community, opposed to adjusting to the policies of their campus.

He said it is integral that students see faces within administration that make them feel like they matter, faces that have shared similar experiences — whether being a migrant worker, an international student, a veteran or of a shared ethnicity. ­This, Ponjuan said, makes a world of difference.

“I was asked to be courageous, and so I am,” said Ignacio Hernandez, a facilitator for higher education, administration and leadership.

Hernandez along with fellow panelists — Raul Moreno, coordinator for university migrant services; Larrisa Mercado-Lopez, professor of women’s studies; and Ofelia Gamez, assistant director of migrant programs — talked about their journeys into leadership roles.

Each panelist shared his or her observations and efforts to make a difference, doing what they could to improve visibility of programs that aid students in creating vital networks. ­Through these networks, they aim for students and faculty to feel as though they have a campus that generates a sense of belonging rather than alienation.

“I am Fresno State. I belong to Fresno State,” Gamez said.

While Gamez said she belonged, she also noted that there has been a sense of separation among departments. ­She said that there could be improvements within departments to help facilitate mentoring programs and training that would benefit new minority university employees.

“Not only that I belong, but that I’m part of the future,” Mercado-Lopez said.

For underrepresented and marginalized programs such as women’s, Latino and Africana studies to thrive, Mercado-Lopez said, it is integral that they have greater transparency and should become more integrated into what Fresno State represents as a whole.

After the forum concluded, Ponjuan sat down with Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro in a one-on-one “Actor’s Studio” style conversation to ask the “tough questions” about what must be done to achieve a higher level of integration.

Ponjuan said during the forum that he wanted to discuss efforts in bringing an end to the “second-class citizen syndrome,” a problem that is not unique to Fresno State, but an academic problem throughout the nation.

Ponjuan also said that this effort must not only come from the top, but from every level of higher education.

“We didn’t get into this field to be millionaires. This is a labor of love,” Ponjuan said.